Love Never Expected
by Dragonflyer
Summary: Chapter 16 is up! Fleur Delacour's parents are making her get married. Who is she getting married to? Surprise guests. Harry PotterThe Lord of the Rings
1. Forgotten MemoryAn Unwanted Engagement

Love Never Expected By Dragonflyer Author e-mail: Dragonflyer89@aol.com  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters and I don't intend to take or use these characters as my own.  
  
Chapter 1: Forgotten Memory  
It was a long, dark corridor. A little girl walked through it silently, her silvery blond hair glowing in its own radiant light, and her dark blue eyes bright and alert. She looked no more than nine years of age, yet she retained a look of great maturity and beauty.  
  
She wore a silver night gown that stopped at her ankles.  
  
Confused and scared at not knowing where she was, she desperately walked through the maze of corridors.  
  
Suddenly a tall, hooded figure appeared behind her. Surprised and frightened the girl screamed when she saw the hooded figure. It drew out it's wand and pointed it at her, and muttered, "Obliviate!" All the girl saw was a flash of light, then all went dark.  
  
Chapter 2: An Unwanted Engagement  
Fleur Delacour awoke from her nightmare screaming. It had not been the first time she had awoken like this, but she still felt shocked after her sudden awakening, finding herself gasping for breath and drenched in sweat.  
  
After a couple of minutes of checking her surroundings and realizing she was in her bedroom in the Delacour mansion, she began to relax, something she wasn't used to doing now that Voldemort had risen and it was a time of war, the second war with Voldemort she had lived to see, although the first war had ended when she was four years old.  
  
Her mother and father were still in denial that Voldemort had risen, but ever since the Tri Wizard Tournament two years ago Fleur had a firm belief that the Dark Lord had risen once again.  
  
Fleur leapt down from her bed in one graceful motion, landing on the lust rug that covered the cold, marble floor. She quickly walked to her closet and selected a dark blue silk robe to change into. After dressing and brushing her long mane of silvery blond hair, she headed to the Delacour kitchen to eat breakfast.  
  
Since her room was in one of the many towers of the Delacour mansion, Fleur had to walk down hundreds of flights of steps to reach her destination.  
  
In the kitchen Fleur found her mother, Celine, and her sister, Gabrielle. As soon as Gabrielle saw Fleur she yelled, "Mère! Mère! Fleur's up! Fleur's up!" and went to hug Fleur. Celine looked up from the magazine she was reading and gave Fleur a smile. "After you're finished with breakfast your father wanted to see you in his office, Fleur." "Yes, Mère." Fleur sighed. Her father had been constantly talking to her about her future career and probably wanted to talk to her again.  
  
"Mistress. Mistress?" One of the Delacour house elves tugged at Fleur's robes. "Mistress, what shall I bring you for breakfast?" he squeaked, looking down at the floor. "Scrambled eggs, toast, and maybe some bacon." Fleur replied. "And to drink, Mistress?" the house elf squeaked once more. "Just water." Fleur replied, making her way to the dining table. Gabrielle and their mother had already seated themselves at the table.  
  
Just as Fleur seated herself a house elf came in and served them their breakfast.  
  
After a few minutes of silent eating Celine let out a sigh of frustration. Fleur looked up from her plate, "What's wrong, Mère?" Celine looked at Fleur. "Fleur, when are you going to get married?" Celine literally yelled out. "What do you mean 'When am I going to get married', Mère? I'm barely going to become twenty in a few of weeks." Fleur replied, shocked at her mother's question. "I mean you should get married and start a family of your own." Celine answered.  
  
Fleur noticed Gabrielle giggling hysterically at her mother's last statement. She wasn't sure if her mother had had the sex talk with Gabrielle yet. Her mother had given it to her when she was nine, after Fleur had asked her why all the boys kept looking and starring at her all the time. Fleur remembered how closely she had listened to her mother's explaination and wondered how Gabrielle would or had taken it.  
  
"Mère, when the right man comes then I'll get married." Fleur said, wanting to end the conversation as quickly as possible. "Look, Fleur, I thought the same when I was young until I realized that with veela like us men will only think of sex and nothing else. So when your father came I decided that he was the best I would get and married him." Fleur starred at her mother in disbelief.  
  
Gabrielle had stopped giggling by now and sensing an on coming fight quietly excused herself to her room. Fleur thanked Gabrielle mentally, not wanting her sister to her any more of the defaults of being part veela.  
  
"So you married Père just because you lost hope that there was someone out there right for you?" Fleur nearly yelled at her mother. "Even if there ever was a 'right man' how would I ever have noticed? He would have acted the same way the other men acted." Celine retorted. "How would you know? You never gave him a chance!" Fleur stood from her seat and stormed out of the room, leaving her mother shocked and speechless.  
  
Angry and frustrated Fleur marched to to her father's private office wondering what he had in store for her.  
  
She stopped at the door to fix her hair and robes. She gently opened the office door and peeked in. Fleur saw her father, Philippe, talking with two men. One seemingly older than the other. She gathered up her courage and entered.  
  
She instantly felt three pairs of eyes on her. "Ah, Fleur, I'm glad you're here! Fleur this is King Thrandruil of Mirkwood," Philippe introduced, pointing to the older man, "and this is his son and heir, Prince Legolas." The younger man now turned and acknowledged Fleur.  
  
Fleur felt a blush come across her face as she studied Legolas. He was very handsom. Almost like a mirror reflection of herself. He had long, blond hair, dark blue eyes and had a pale skin color.  
  
"Fleur, King Thrandruil and I have been talking about Legolas' and your future. We have arranged that you and Legolas shall be married!" Philippe announced.  
  
King Thrandruil and Philippe clapped loudly while Legolas just looked down. Fleur stood there shocked and lost beyond speech. Philippe stood up from his chair, "Why don't we leave these two alone for a while, Thrandruil? Let them get to know each other." Like Philippe Thrandruil also stood up, "I agree. I think they should get to know each other before the wedding." Thrandruil agreed, looking at his son who was still looking at the floor. Both Philippe and Thrandruil exited the office, leaving Fleur and Legolas alone.  
  
Author Note: Well, this is my first fan fiction hope you like it! 


	2. Getting to Know You

Love Never Expected (3/?) Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters and I do not intend to use them as my own.  
  
Chapter 3: Getting To Know You  
Moments of silence passed then, neither of them really knowing what to say. "So, did you just find out about this, or did you already know in advance?" Legolas asked, breaking the silence.  
  
It took a while for Fleur to answer, since she was still taking in everything that had just happened. She looked at Legolas, her husband-to- be.  
  
He looked rather shy, yet confident. He wore a dark emerald cape and tunic. Under his tunic he wore a long sleeve, silver shirt while his pants were tough brown leather. He wore long, ebony leather boots that covered his pants from the knee down. 'Damn, he's gorgeous.' Thought Fleur.  
  
"Actually, no. I was just informed about the matter a few moments ago. Why are they doing this?" Fleur responded, looking rather distressed. Legolas looked at the floor once again. "I'm not sure. I guess because both of our families have strong background and high status that they wanted us to get married to increase their power." Legolas explained.  
  
Fleur looked at him. Most men in the presence of a veela would lose their ability of speech, or would at least stutter, not that she was complaining at the sudden change. But some how Legolas was different. 'Could he be immune to my veela powers?' Fleur wondered.  
  
Then she remembered something her grandmother had once told her. 'No, it couldn't be. He couldn't be. Could he?'  
  
Fleur took several steps closer to Legolas. "What are you?" Fleur questioned him. He looked up at her, "What do you mean?" Both met each other's gaze. "I meant what type of creature you were. I have a feeling that you're not exactly human." Fleur asked Legolas, curious to know if her theory was true. "I am a Sindarian elf. I come from the land of Mirkwood, and if I do say myself I would also have a feeling that you are not completely human yourself." Legolas retorted.  
  
Fleur sat down in the chair Legolas' father had sat in before. "Your feelings were correct, Legolas. I'm only part human. I'm one forth veela." Legolas looked out the window. Fleur looked out the window to peer at the thing that had caught Legolas' attention, but found nothing.  
  
She had heard of these types of elves from her grandmother. They were very much like the veela. They were fair and wise, and often, like the veela, attracted the opposite sex. This type of elf had the power to resist veelas and veelas could resist them.  
  
Fleur stood up from her seat and stood in front of Legolas. Legolas once again turned to look upon her. "Legolas, tell me the truth. Do you want to marry me?" Fleur asked him.  
  
Legolas considered her question for a moment. "I didn't choose to marry you, but if I must I will do everything in my power to make you happy." Fleur still kept her question up. "You didn't answer my question. Do you want to marry me or not?" She asked again, deepening her gaze. "Fleur, I barely know you. Therefore, until I get to know you better, no, I don't want to marry you." Legolas replied.  
  
Fleur went back to sitting down at her chair. At that moment the door to the office swung open. "Fleur, I just heard the news!" Celine screeched.  
  
She rushed in to hug her daughter when she noticed Legolas starring at her with a surprised look on his face.  
  
"My, Fleur. He is a nice one!" she said, looking Legolas over. "Mère!" Fleur yelled, blushing at her mother's words. Celine looked at her daughter, "Fleur, don't be rude, show our guest around the house, will you." Fleur turned to Legolas who still wore a face full of surprise. "Follow me, please." Fleur insisted.  
  
She grabbed Legolas' hand and led him out the door. Fleur wanted to get as far away from her mother as possible, she hated her mother when she got like this.  
  
"Fleur, may I ask you a question?" Legolas asked, looking back at the way they had come from the office. "Of course you may." Fleur responded. "Is your mother always that way, Fleur?" He asked, looking at her.  
  
Fleur glanced back at Legolas who was trying to keep up with her. "Most of the time, when she's not angry with me or my father. Why? What's your mother like?" Fleur asked, wanting to know how his family was like.  
  
A sorrowful look crossed Legolas' face. "I never knew my mother. You see she died when I was very young. My father mostly raised me, teaching me the ways of our people, although he could never really take the place of my mother." Fleur blushed. "I'm so sorry. I.I didn't know." Legolas looked at her with eyes full of sorrow, "It's alright, you didn't know. And anyway, you would have had to eventually find out."  
  
The next few minutes were full of silence while Fleur and Legolas reached the mansion's main doors and exited to the gardens.  
  
They quietly strolled through the rose bushes, taking in the delightful scents of different flowers in the gardens.  
  
"So, Legolas, where did you go to school?" Fleur asked, starting a conversation. Legolas looked up from the roses, "In Mirkwood I had a private tutor since I was the prince and had to learn certain things that the other children didn't. How about you? Where did you attend school?" Legolas asked. "I attended Beauxbatons Witch and Wizarding Academy. I was very lonely though, even though there were many students around."  
  
Fleur looked down. She didn't want to recall any of those memories. Legolas looked at her, "What do you mean? Your father told me that you were very popular in school." Fleur gave a sarcastic sigh. "Yeah, I was popular alright. Popular with the boys. That's all I was ever popular with. All the girls at school were jealous at me because I was part veela and all their boy friends wanted to be with me!" Fleur blurted out to Legolas.  
  
Legolas looked to the trees around them, "I know how you feel. Back in Mirkwood the boys there never wanted to hang out with me because of two reasons. Number one, they knew I was the Prince and thought that I was better than them. They thought I was stuck-up because I never talked to them, but I was only shy. Number two, all their girlfriend's wanted to be with me instead of their boyfriends. Because of that I was also popular, but only with the girls. I never had any real friends."  
  
Fleur looked at Legolas in disbelief. She had never known anyone who really knew how she felt.  
  
"Prince Greenleaf!" A house elf rushed up to them. "Prince Greenleaf, your father requests your appearance in Mr. Delacour's office immediately."  
  
Legolas looked at the house elf. "Tell him I shall be there in a moment."  
  
The house elf looked down to the floor, "Yes, right away, sir." He then rushed back to the mansion.  
  
Legolas turned back to Fleur. "Excuse me while I attend to my father's requests." He then picked a rose from the bush and gave it to Fleur. "Maybe we can talk some more later. Maybe after dinner." He bowed to Fleur, "Au revoir." Legolas then turned and walked back to the Delacour mansion.  
  
Author Note: Well, chapter 3 is up. I hope you like it. I'll write again soon. 


	3. Attacker From The Past

Love Never Expected (4/?) Disclaimer: I do not own these characters and I do not intend to use them as my own.  
  
Chapter 4: Attacker from the Past  
Fleur just stood there starring at the path Legolas had taken to get back to the mansion, frozen with surprise. She had met with many people in her lifetime, but never had she met anyone who had truly understood what she was going through or felt. Fleur looked down at the rose Legolas had given her before he had left for the mansion. Its petals were blood red, the color of her lips. How well she remembered all the comments she received from adoring fans. 'Your lips are red as the rose and your hair out shines even the brightest diamonds and stars.' All the boys at Beauxbatons and even at Hogwarts only saw her beauty and never really got to know the real her. Now that she thought of it Legolas was the first man to be within five feet of her and not lose their senses or wit. Fleur continued to stroll down the garden paths at a leisurely pace, reviewing what Legolas and she had talked about. It was true; she had never had any real friends, just admirers. Her father was always busy with his work, so naturally he was never around, and her mother never had been a good listener. The only real friend she had ever had was her sister, Gabrielle, even though she was around ten years younger than her. Fleur once again glanced at the rose Legolas had given her. She suddenly wished that Legolas hadn't left. It felt nice having someone who understood. 'Maybe life with Legolas won't be as bad as I thought it would be. At least I can talk to him and he'll listen to me. Though, I still hate the fact that that Père is making me get married to Legolas and didn't let me at least meet him before he told me about the engagement.' Fleur kept on walking until she heard light foot steps behind her. She turned around expecting to see Legolas but instead found big, innocent, grey eyes starring back at her from below. "Gabrielle, how did you know that I was out here?" Fleur asked her sister. Gabrielle grinned, "When Legolas came into the house I asked him where you were and he told me that you were in the rose garden." She looked at the rose in Fleur's hand and smiled. "So, do you at least like him, Fleur?" Gabrielle asked, joining Fleur in her stroll of the garden. Fleur looked down at Gabrielle, "Actually, Gabrielle, I think he is very likable." Gabrielle just chuckled. "Yeah, but do you like him?" Gabrielle asked once again. Fleur grinned and turned to Gabrielle, "If you must know, Gabrielle, yes, I do like him. And by the way, I know Mère told you to ask me this so just tell her that I do like him." Gabrielle blushed. "How did you know Mère asked me to ask you?" Fleur sighed. "Knowing how Mère reacted after hearing about the engagement I knew she couldn't resist finding out how I felt about Legolas. So naturally she asked you to do the asking for her." Fleur continued her walk while Gabrielle followed. "Gabrielle?" Fleur asked. Gabrielle turned to her older sister, "Yeah, Fleur?" Fleur turned to Gabrielle. "Do you think Legolas likes me?" Fleur asked Gabrielle. Gabrielle giggled, "Seeing the rose, Fleur, I know he likes you!" Gabrielle commented sarcastically. Fleur blushed and looked at the rose in her hand. "So, Fleur, tell me why you why you like him. You've never liked any other boy you've been with." Gabrielle said with questioning eyes. Fleur gave her a small smile. "Well, for one, he doesn't drool all over me..." Fleur was going to say more when Gabrielle cut in. "Like all the other boys do to you?" Fleur gave Gabrielle a suspicious look. "How do you know how the other boys react to me? You've never been with me at Beauxbatons." Gabrielle gave Fleur a smile. "Non, but don't you remember when me and Mère went to Hogwarts to watch you in the third task?" Gabrielle asked Fleur. "Of course I remember you there. You were the one who kept asking me if you would get to see Harry Potter since he was the one who had saved you from the lake in the second task." Gabrielle blushed bright red and looked at her feet. Since she had learned that Harry Potter had saved her from the lake she had developed a crush on him. "Well, while we were there I noticed a lot of boys starring at you and heard them talk about you." Fleur sighed in frustration. "What did you hear them say about me?" Fleur asked. Gabrielle looked up at her sister again. "I heard the boys saying how amazing it would be to, to, do "it" with you and how much they would love to be your boyfriend. And I heard the girls say that you were nothing but a bitch and a whore." Gabrielle looked down and cursed herself for being so honest, she knew how Fleur could get when insulted by others. She was surprised when she noticed that Fleur was standing still, almost as if she was frozen. What surprised Gabrielle even more was the look Fleur had on her face. Fleur was starring straight ahead and she looked as if she was frozen in fear. Gabrielle turned to look in the direction Fleur was facing to see a tall, dark, hooded figure looming a few feet away from them. Gabrielle's eyes grew wide and she froze in her steps. Fleur slowly grabbed Gabrielle's arm and started to push her back. "Gabrielle, I want you to run back to the mansion when I tell you and tell everyone to rush to the gardens and bring their wands with them, its an emergency." Fleur whispered to Gabrielle. Suddenly the dark figure lunged at Gabrielle, taking her by the arm and pulling her away from Fleur who screamed. "Gabrielle, no!" Fleur screamed. She jumped at the figure, trying to get hold of Gabrielle but missed. Suddenly the hooded figure snapped around and lashed out at Fleur with his arm and knocked her to the ground. "Fleur! Help me!" Gabrielle screamed. Fleur grabbed her wand and was about to stand up when the hooded figure pointed his wand at her and muttered, "Petrificus totalus!" Fleur instantly felt her body go stiff and straighten. Then with horrifying realization Fleur knew she couldn't move her body. The hooded figure stepped toward Fleur with Gabrielle in his left arm and his hand clamped over her mouth. A wide grin passed over what one could see of the hooded figure's mouth. He knelt down next to Fleur then. He reached into his coat and pulled out a long, wooden cane with a silver snake head as the cane's handle. He stood up and raised the cane high over his head, then swung. The silver handle hit Fleur directly on the right side of her head. Fleur's vision started to get blurry and she heard Gabrielle try to scream through the figure's hand, then everything went black.  
  
Author Note: Well, that was chapter 4, I hope you like it, I'll write again soon. 


	4. True or False

Love Never Expected (5/?) Disclaimer: I do not own these characters and I do not intend to use them as my own.  
  
Chapter 5: True or False  
Then next thing Fleur heard was a far away voice calling to her. "Fleur! Fleur!" The voice called. She could tell it was male since it was a deep voice, full of worry.  
  
At first she thought it was her father calling her, but as her senses increased she noticed the voice had an unfamiliar accent, alien yet enchanting.  
  
She tried moving her arms, but as her senses increased, so did the pain that her body felt. Fleur slowly opened her eyes and saw a vague figure looming over her. "Gabrielle. Gabrielle." Fleur said hoarsely, her throat dry and aching.  
  
"Fleur, you're alright. I have to get you to the mansion, you're injured." The voice said. Fleur stained to clear her vision and saw that the voice was not her father's, but Legolas'.  
  
He slowly picked her up and started running to the mansion at top speed. Fleur clutched Legolas' shoulder. "Legolas! Gabrielle! Where is she?" Fleur desperately asked. Legolas turned to her, "What do you mean? She's been in the mansion the whole time you were out."  
  
After this remark Fleur felt her body go limp and quickly afterward once again fell into unconsciousness.  
  
Even with her eyes closed Fleur could feel the sun's warm rays on her face. Her whole body was in pain and she felt as if she might collapse once again at any moment. She tried to open her eyes, though she couldn't open them very much what she saw surprised her.  
  
As she opened her eyes she saw Legolas asleep on a leather chair beside her bed.  
  
'He looks so peaceful, so innocent.' Fleur thought. Just then Legolas opened his eyes and peered at her. He let a small smile slip onto his face, his blue eyes warm and brilliant.  
  
"Good morning, Fleur. Are you feeling better?" Legolas asked as he stood from his chair. "A little. My body aches though. And I can't move much. How long have I been out, Legolas?" Fleur whispered, unable to speak any louder.  
  
"Sh, don't talk. You'll only waste your energy. You've been out since yesterday." Legolas answered. 'Yesterday' The word hit Fleur like the cane that had knocked her out. "Gabrielle! Where is she?" Fleur cried out. She bolted upward in her bed. Even though pain shot through her spine Fleur ignored it.  
  
"Don't worry, she's in the dinning room with your mother." Legolas explained. At first Fleur couldn't believe what she was hearing. Then she remembered what Legolas had said to her before she had passed out. 'What do you mean? She's been in the mansion the whole time you were out.'  
  
Fleur looked up at Legolas who was standing next to her bed. "Legolas, before I passed out yesterday what did you mean that Gabrielle had been inside the mansion while I was out in the gardens? When I was walking through them she came and we were talking and then, and then." Fleur trailed off, remembering exactly what had happened.  
  
"And then what happened, Fleur?" Legolas inquired. Fleur looked up at him. He wore a worried expression on his face and for a minute she wondered if she should tell him the rest. She looked down at her hands, 'I can tell him what happened. I trust him, for some reason, even though I've only known him for what, a day?' Fleur thought.  
  
Legolas sat down on the chair again and looked at Fleur, "You know if there's anything you want to tell me, you can. You can always come to me if you want to. Tell me what happened, I won't tell anyone." Fleur looked once again at his deep blue eyes, full of worry and care. "If I tell you what I think happened in the gardens promise me two things, alright?" Fleur asked. "Alright, I will." Legolas answered. "First, I want you to promise me that you will not tell anyone what I'm going to tell you. I don't want anyone to panic. Second, I want you to believe what I say, no matter how farfetched or strange it may seem to you." Legolas nodded, "I promise."  
  
Fleur spent the next minutes telling Legolas everything that had happened on her stroll of the gardens from right after he had left till the time of her passing out. When she was done she laid back against her bed post.  
  
Legolas wore a worried and disturbed expression and had began to pace around the room thinking about what Fleur had gone through in the gardens and of Gabrielle's kidnapping.  
  
"Well, if the real Gabrielle was kidnapped in the garden, then who is that downstairs with your mother?" Legolas wondered. Fleur looked up at him, "I don't know, but I do know one thing, that's not Gabrielle." Legolas stopped pacing and returned her gaze. "If that's not Gabrielle then we must find out who it is and why he or she is playing Gabrielle's role." Legolas strode to Fleur's bed, reaching it in four large strides.  
  
"Can you stand up and walk? I was thinking, you know Gabrielle far better than anyone does, maybe if you see this one you can find some strange habits or reactions that the real Gabrielle wouldn't do. Then maybe we can trap this fake Gabrielle and make her tell us who she's working with and maybe even to where we can find the Gabrielle and rescue her." Legolas explained.  
  
"Yes, I can walk, although not very fast. And good idea, but remember, we can't let my parents know that that's not the real Gabrielle or they'll really panic, especially my mother." Fleur commented. She knew exactly how emotional her mother got when something was not right.  
  
Legolas helped her to slowly get out of bed and stand. Fleur, noticing she wore her night gown, changed before heading down stairs with Legolas at her side helping her out in any way he could.  
  
When they reached the dinning room they found Celine and Gabrielle at the table, each reading a book. 'Well, there's something usual, Gabrielle loves reading.' Fleur thought to herself.  
  
As soon as Legolas and Fleur walked in Celine put her book down and rushed to Fleur. "Oh, thank heavens your alright. You had us all worried when Legolas rushed you in here and you were bleeding and hurt." She looked toward Legolas and for once gave him a smile that didn't make Fleur blush in embarrassment. "And thank you, Legolas, for helping my daughter, she means everything in the world to me." Celine thanked Legolas.  
  
Fleur moved closer to Legolas, "How did you find me?" Legolas looked down at her. "After my discussion with my father I went to look for you in the garden and I found you lying on the ground, bleeding from your head."  
  
Both Legolas and Fleur took a seat at the table next to one another. A house elf came and offered some breakfast but they both declined, not having any appetite for the moment.  
  
After the house elf had disappeared back to the kitchen Legolas leaned over to Fleur, "Do you notice anything different about her, Fleur?" Fleur turned towards Legolas, "No, she seems normal, but there has to be something about her that isn't like Gabrielle."  
  
Fleur studied the fake Gabrielle, but could find nothing proving that she was fake. Frustrated and tired Fleur laid down on the velvet couch in the living room. 'There has to be something different, there has to be.' Fleur thought.  
  
"Fleur, what are you doing?" asked a voice from above her. Gabrielle stood leaned over Fleur curious at what she was doing. Fleur looked straight into Gabrielle's eyes and found her answer. "Nothing, Gabrielle. I'm just tired and I want to rest." Fleur said, holding herself from jumping up and seizing Gabrielle.  
  
Gabrielle just nodded and strode off to her room.  
  
After making sure that Gabrielle had truly left Fleur got up and searched for Legolas. It didn't take her long before she found him sitting before the fireplace in a chair gazing at the flames.  
  
"Legolas, I've found it!" Fleur announced. Legolas stood and turned to her. "You found out what was different about Gabrielle?" Legolas asked. Fleur nodded. "Yes, her eyes. The real Gabrielle has grey eyes, but this one has blue ones!" Legolas smiled. "Then tonight we shall pay our con artist a visit in Gabrielle's room and really find out what has happened to Gabrielle."  
  
Author Note: Well, this is Chapter 5! I dedicate this chapter to asianbabygrl03 and I thank Flying With Wings for the suggestion. Well, I hope you like this chapter and I'll write again. 


	5. Midnight Hunt

Love Never Expected (6/?)  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters and I do not intend to use them as my own.  
  
Chapter 6: Midnight Hunt It was around midnight when Fleur and Legolas met each other in the mansion's library.  
  
"Fleur, you're going to have to lead the way to Gabrielle's room since you know how to get to it." Legolas whispered to Fleur. It may have been near midnight, but Legolas was wide-awake and alert.  
  
"I know. Her room isn't too far away from here though, only a few minor stair cases to climb and we're there." Fleur whispered back to Legolas. She felt kind of drowsy but the thought of where her sister was and what might be done to her put Fleur on full alert.  
  
Legolas and Fleur quietly ran up the flights of stairs. Fleur could hear her muffled steps, but heard none from Legolas. She wondered if she had gone to fast for him and turned to see if he was still behind her. To her surprise he was right beside her but was making no noise in his footsteps.  
  
They soon reached Gabrielle's room in one of the towers.  
  
"Alright, we have to enter quietly and swift, there may have been curses sent up against visitors." Fleur warned Legolas. Legolas looked up at her. "I know. Believe me, I've participated in wars before on Middle Earth. I know many battle techniques." Fleur looked up at Legolas. She hadn't known that he had been in battles. He didn't have any noticeable scars.  
  
Legolas carefully grabbed the doorknob and turned it. Both held their breath and glanced towards the door. Then Legolas swung it open and they both jumped in.  
  
Fleur quickly pulled out her wand, ready for any attack. None came. Fleur then realized that the room was completely empty except for her and Legolas. She turned towards Legolas and nearly jumped back in surprise.  
  
In Legolas' hand was a long, silver knife. It had engravings on the blade that Fleur couldn't make out.  
  
She glanced up at Legolas. "I didn't know you were carrying a sword with you." Legolas looked at her. "I was taught that one must always be ready in case of and attack." He glanced down at her wand in her hand. "I see that you were also well prepared in case any attack would have come. Now, we must search the mansion in search of our mysterious fake."  
  
Fleur and Legolas quietly exited the room and began searching the many halls and rooms for the imposter.  
  
"This is hopeless, Legolas. It will take more than one night to search the entire house." Fleur stated. She knew better than anyone how large this house really was. As a child she had loved exploring the mansion, looking for secret rooms and passages. It had nearly taken her a month to cover the whole house.  
  
"She, listen, Fleur." Legolas whispered, waving his hand to come closer to where he stood.  
  
Fleur listened hard, but could here nothing but the wind blowing outside the window. She walked up towards Legolas and strained her hearing. She could hear a faint swishing noise coming from her father's private office.  
  
Fleur and Legolas crept closer to the office. To Fleur's surprise the office lock was broken and a dim light flickered, casting shadows on the walls.  
  
Fleur could hear a voice coming from inside. "Where is it? I have to find it and return to master."  
  
The voice sent shivers down Fleur's neck and up her spine. She turned towards Legolas. He seemed disturbed, yet unafraid of the voice and what lay behind the office doors.  
  
Fleur felt a warm hand on her own. She looked down and found Legolas holding her hand. She the realized that she had been shaking violently from her fear. The warmth of Legolas' hand made her somehow feel that she was not alone. She returned the favor by holding Legolas' hand tight with her own.  
  
They took a deep breath and slowly entered her father's private office.  
  
The voice apparently hadn't noticed their entrance as it kept on rambling to itself. Fleur and Legolas slipped into a darkened corner of a room where they could get a clear view of the offices interior.  
  
There, at the office's desk sat a woman in black robes. She looked very pale and thin with long black hair around her face and long, sharp nails that resembled claws. She was going through one of Philippe's record books and was muttering to herself. "It's got to be here. I know it has. I've got to find it and bring it back to Master." It said desperately.  
  
Fleur sat in horror, watching the woman go through pages of all her father's record and history books.  
  
Legolas had already taken out his sword and had it ready at his side. He turned towards Fleur. "We're going to have to take it by surprise, Fleur." Fleur turned to him. "What is that thing?" Legolas glanced at the woman then back at Fleur. "It's a succubus, Fleur."  
  
Fleur had already been shaking when they had entered the room, but as Legolas said this she slid back and accidentally knocked over a large book and stack of papers that had been next to her.  
  
Instantly the succubus raised her head at the sudden noise. She slowly stood from her seat and began walking slowly to the spot where Legolas and Fleur lay hidden. Fleur felt like she would faint at any second. Legolas just gripped his sword even tighter than before.  
  
The succubus continued to edge closer and closer to Legolas and Fleur's hiding spot, hissing along the way. Even in the dim lighting, Legolas and Fleur could see how tall and muscular she was.  
  
Suddenly, not even two feet from where Legolas and Fleur lay, the succubus started sniffing the air. She continued this for some moments, then deciding that nobody was around turned to return back to her seat.  
  
Legolas found his chance for an attack at that moment. He leaped from the floor and dashed towards the succubus. Suddenly she turned around and lashed at Legolas with her nails. He skillfully dodged them and landed on the desk.  
  
It was now the succubus' turn to return Legolas' attack. She once again lashed forward with her sharp nails, aiming for Legolas' feet, hoping to knock him down to the ground.  
  
Her aim was true and hit Legolas' left ankle, knocking him down. He lost his grip on the sword and it slid across the room, stopping at Fleur's feet.  
  
Fleur sat frozen there watching the fight between elf and succubus, unable to make herself stand. 'Get up you fool! Go help Legolas!' Fleur mentally yelled at herself, but even though her mind told her to get up and fight, her stiff body wouldn't respond to her mind's commands.  
  
The succubus found her chance to attack Legolas once more and jumped on him while on the ground. Her hands flew down on Legolas' throat, attempting to suffocate him.  
  
Seeing this something in Fleur snapped. Her blood grew hot and pumped through her veins. Her hands balled into fists. She narrowed her eyes and locked them on the succubus. Fleur stood up and pounced on the succubus.  
  
Surprised by the sudden attack the succubus let go of Legolas' throat, leaving him gasping for air. "Fleur, be careful, she's stronger than she seems." Legolas hoarsely whispered.  
  
Fleur kept her sights on the succubus, never taking her eyes away from her.  
  
The succubus grinned evilly at Fleur, showing her fanged teeth. Even through this Fleur felt unafraid after her surge of anger towards the succubus after she had almost killed Legolas.  
  
The succubus lunged towards Fleur, but Fleur dodged her attack. Seeing one of her father's golden chains she quickly unfastened it and tied it around the succubus' neck.  
  
The succubus screamed and wailed, but Fleur would not let it loose.  
  
Tried from the fighting and the chains burning into her the succubus collapsed to the floor, breathing heavily.  
  
Legolas tried to stand up but slipped and fell down once again. He sat up and starred at the succubus, and angered expression on his face. "Who are you and what were you doing in here?" Legolas questioned it.  
  
The succubus looked at Legolas, "My name is Alia. I came in here looking for Delacour bloodline history." Legolas' gaze grew even angrier. "Why? And who put you up to this?" He asked her forcefully.  
  
Fleur was very much surprised by his behavior. She had never seen Legolas look so angry before.  
  
"I don't know. I don't ask questions." Alia shot back at him. Legolas clenched his hands into a fist. "That's not a good answer. Why were you disguised as Gabrielle and what have you done to the real one?"Â  The succubus narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm not the one who took her and I don't know who took her, but I do know that they were taking her to the Highlands."  
  
Both Legolas and Fleur looked at each other, both obviously worried about Gabrielle and her safety.  
  
All of a sudden the succubus grabbed Fleur's arm and tossed her towards Legolas. She tossed the golden chain and ran out the office door.  
  
Getting off Legolas Fleur rushed to chase Alia but found no trace of her so she headed back to the office where Legolas lay injured.  
  
"Legolas." Fleur sighed as she knelt down next to Legolas and examined his ankle. She could tell it was broken, and had a few minor scratches, but nothing she couldn't mend with magic.  
  
Fleur cast a few quick spells and Legolas was back on his feet. "Thank you." Legolas said, the warmth coming back to his voice. Fleur wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her had on his chest. "Why are you thanking me? You were the one who fought the succubus and almost got killed." Legolas smiled. "Yeah, but you were the one who rescued me." Fleur looked up at him. "I'm tired. I think I'll go to bed right now. Good night." Fleur leaned up and gave Legolas a kiss, the first kiss she'd ever given a boy, she realized with curiosity.  
  
Both then parted to each other's rooms for the night.  
  
Author Note: Chapter 6 is up!!! This has got to be my favorite chapter. Had so much fun writing it. I was even scaring myself when I was writing it. Well, I'll write again soon.Â Â  


	6. Traveling To The Highlands

Love Never Expected (7/?) Disclaimer: I do not own these characters and I do not intend to use them as my own.  
  
Chapter 7: Traveling to the Highlands  
  
Fleur awoke early the next morning. She felt stiff from the night before, but decided to go check up on how Legolas was doing.  
  
She quickly got changed and quietly slipped out of her room. Legolas' bedroom chamber wasn't too far from her own. She got there quickly. She opened the door and peeked inside.  
  
Legolas lie on his bed, his bed sheets neatly surrounding his body.  
  
Fleur crept into his room and made her way towards Legolas. 'He looks so innocent.' Fleur thought, looking at his face. Before she knew what she was doing Fleur knelt down beside him and gently kissed him once again.  
  
When she withdrew from her kiss she looked back at blue eyes, almost identical to her own.  
  
Legolas smiled. "Good morning. Are you feeling alright?" Fleur laughed. "Why wouldn't I be?" Legolas smiled further. "I thought that maybe you got hurt last night from fighting the succubus." Fleur shook her head. "Yeah, I'm all right. Speaking of the succubus, what are we going to do about saving Gabrielle? She said they took her to the Highlands. That's Voldemort's territory." Fleur said, worry evident in her voice.  
  
Legolas sighed. "Then we'll have to go on a little 'trip' together and with the fake Gabrielle to keep her away from here." Fleur looked toward the door. "Wasn't the succubus the fake Gabrielle?"  
  
Legolas sat up in his bed. "I doubt it. I've read that succubus' can't be in sunlight. It kills them. It must be working with the fake Gabrielle. That's how it got into your father's office. The fake Gabrielle must have let her in."  
  
Fleur considered this. She had forgotten that succubus' couldn't be in sunlight. "Then if the succubus wasn't the fake Gabrielle, who is the fake Gabrielle?"  
  
Legolas got up. "I don't know. That's what we have to find out. That and who he's working for or with."  
  
Fleur blushed. Legolas was wearing a silver shirt and pants. This was the first time she had seen him in bedclothes. She let a small grin pass her lips. 'No, why am I thinking that?' Fleur looked away.  
  
Fleur walked to the door. "I think I'll go back to my room to change. I'll meet you at breakfast."  
  
Legolas nodded. "Then I shall see you shortly." Fleur nodded back in response. Fleur exited the room and proceeded to her own where she bathed and changed for breakfast.  
  
She met Legolas at the main staircase. He had changed into his usual attire, leather pants, silver and green shirts, silver belt, boots and cape. He bowed down before her and took her arm in his own. They walked to the dinning room and were greeted by Fleur's father.  
  
"Well, it looks like the new couple is doing quite well. Care to join us for breakfast? Or do you two have some private matters to attend to?" Fleur's father said aloud. Fleur felt embarrassed by her father's comment. She knew exactly what he meant by 'private matters' and it disgusted her. Did he really think that she was like that?  
  
Fleur and Legolas seated themselves at the table. Both noticed a Gabrielle sitting next to Fleur's mother. Fleur and Legolas locked gazes. They both knew that they would have to tell Fleur's parents about going on a 'trip' with Gabrielle. Fleur's father who had been watching interrupted them.  
  
"Is there something the two of you would like to tell us?" Philippe asked raising an eyebrow.  
  
Legolas looked at Philippe. "As a matter of fact, Fleur and I have thought about going on a trip across Europe together and we thought it might be an enriching experience for Gabrielle if she came along." Legolas stated.  
  
Philippe gave a hardy laugh. "Well, I think that is a wonderful idea! I'm sure Gabrielle would love to come, wouldn't you, Gabrielle?" At first Gabrielle looked hesitant.  
  
"Sure. I would love to come with you." The fake Gabrielle said cheerfully. "Then it's settled. When will you be leaving on your trip?" Philippe asked. Fleur and Legolas looked at each other.  
  
"We wanted to leave as soon as possible, before school starts for Gabrielle." Fleur answered. She looked at Legolas and saw that he approved of her answer. She then looked at her parents who were beaming at her and Legolas.  
  
Celine screeched. "It's so nice to see you and Legolas together!" Fleur knew how badly her mother wanted her to get married, she was just trying to do what she felt was right for her daughter, but Fleur sometimes felt that her mother was trying to hard and forgetting what she wanted.  
  
Fleur sighed. Knowing how her mother was, right after the wedding, she'd be talking about grandchildren.  
  
After breakfast Fleur and Legolas met once again in the library, which they had made their unofficial meeting place in the Delacour mansion.  
  
"If we are to leave soon we should start packing. I was wondering, how are we going to travel there? I'm unfamiliar with this world's way of traveling." Legolas asked Fleur.  
  
Fleur was at the bookshelves, looking for information and history on the Highlands. "We should pack tonight. We can go by Floo Powder. We can leave as early as tomorrow morning which would probably be better."  
  
Legolas nodded. "Fleur, what's Floo Powder?" Fleur couldn't help letting out a small giggle. She had forgotten that Legolas came from another world and didn't know much about this world. She turned to Legolas who had a confused expression on his face. "It's kind of difficult to explain. It's a powder that you throw into the fireplace, say the name of the place you want to go and when you step into the fireplace it sends you there."  
  
Legolas nodded and seemed to understand. 'I've got a lot to teach him.' Fleur thought, smiling.  
  
She looked back at the bookshelf she was going through. Fleur wanted to leave tonight but she needed to review information on the Highlands before leaving to be ready in case anything happened.  
  
Fleur had researched that the Highlands the succubus had mentioned were located in Scotland. She didn't want her or Legolas noticed all that much. She knew that they would be noticed enough, you almost never saw a veela in Scotland and she was sure that elves like Legolas were rarely seen anywhere for that matter. She had never even seen an elf like Legolas until they had met.  
  
Fleur looked back at the table where Legolas was sitting. Only, he wasn't there.  
  
"What have you found about the Highlands? Do you think we'll be noticed?" came a voice from behind her. Fleur would have jumped if she hadn't recognized the voice right away. She sighed and turned to find Legolas peering over her shoulder.  
  
"The Highlands are located in Scotland. And yes, I think some people will notice us since it's not everyday that you see a veela hanging around with an unknown species of elf that they've never seen before. We have to at try to fit in."  
  
Legolas chuckled, "Where I come from if the people saw a veela they wouldn't know what it was." Fleur turned to Legolas. "Then how did your father know about my family?" Legolas looked up from the book Fleur held. "My father used to travel to this world often. He had met your father and they became friends. Both came from powerful families and decided that when you finished school they would have us married."  
  
Legolas walked back to the table and started reading from one of the books Fleur had selected.  
  
The next morning Fleur woke early the next morning. She quickly bathed and dressed to meet Legolas downstairs with her luggage at hand.  
  
"Are you ready, Fleur?" Legolas had awaited her at the base of the stairs as she came down to meet him. She smiled at him. "Didn't you sleep at all last night?" Fleur asked. She wondered how Legolas got up so early. "Actually, no. I stayed up all night packing for our trip." Fleur was a bit taken back. "What did you pack that took you all night?" Legolas led her to his trunk and opened it.  
  
Fleur's eyes went wide open as she looked at the trunk's contents. Inside the trunk were varieties of swords, bows, arrows, long knives, short knives, shields and body armor. Fleur looked at Legolas. "That's a lot." Legolas slowly closed the trunk. "If we're going to fight against Dark Wizards and possibly creatures that they have hired to fight for them, we are going to need to be ready." Fleur nodded. 'Who knows what we'll be up against.' Fleur thought.  
  
"You two ready to leave?" A voice from behind them called. Both turned to find 'Gabrielle' a few feet away from them with her luggage. Fleur shivered at the resemblance the fake Gabrielle had to the real one. Only her eyes were different from Gabrielle.  
  
Legolas was the one to answer her question. "Yes, we were just waiting for you to arrive." Gabrielle gave him a smile.  
  
They all walked into the living room where they found Fleur's parents waiting for them at the fireplace with the Floo Powder ready for them to use.  
  
"Ah, I'm proud to see all of you ready and prepared for the trip!" Philippe walked up to greet them. He led them to the large, marble fireplace located on the north side of the room.  
  
Next to the fireplace was a small, round table and on top of that was a small white bowl filled with gray soot. Fleur stepped forward and grabbed a fist full of soot and turned toward Legolas. "Traveling by Floo Powder isn't very hard. The only thing you need to really do is say the place you're going right. Just watch me."  
  
Fleur turned to the fireplace and threw the soot into the fireplace. Immediately green flame sprang where the soot had fallen. "Scotland!" Fleur yelled into the flames, then she stepped through them, grabbing her luggage, and vanished.  
  
Legolas just stood there starring where Fleur had stood. He had seen a lot of things happen before in his life, but nothing like this before. Legolas stepped forward and grabbed some soot and threw it into the fireplace. Once again green flames sprang from where the soot landed. "Scotland!" Legolas shouted. He stepped into the fire and immediately felt a sickening rush pass his body. Legolas' eyes involuntarily closed. When the rushed stopped he opened his eyes.  
  
He was in a dark small room with an opening on one wall. Suddenly a head poked out from the opening. "Are you alright? The first time is always hard." Legolas realized it was Fleur and followed her voice to the outside.  
  
They were in a hotel lobby. Legolas looked around and noticed that it was a wizarding hotel. Fleur grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the way. " 'Gabrielle' might come through any moment and you might get hit." Legolas quickly followed her to the other side of the fireplace.  
  
Just at that moment Legolas heard a sound like a swirling wind. When it stopped 'Gabrielle' popped her head out of the opening and stepped out. She looked around. "So. Is this where we're staying?"  
  
Fleur gave her a small 'as a matter a fact' smile and narrowed her eyes. "Yes, we will be staying here. It's called The Isles of Glencoe; it's very popular around here. One of the best hotels around."  
  
They quickly dropped their things off at the rooms that had been reserved for them and headed for the outside world.  
  
Author Note: Sorry I took so long, well, chapter 7 is up and I hope you like it. I will write again soon. 


	7. Poisoned Elf

Love Never Expected (8/?) By Dragonflyer  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters and I do not intend to take or use them as my own.  
  
Chapter 8: Poisoned Elf  
  
Fleur, Legolas and 'Gabrielle' sat in a small café not too far from the hotel. It was a nice day in the Highlands; wind blowing, sun shinning, not too hot, but not too cold either. Even though the sun's warmth surrounded Fleur, she could not feel it. Her heart and senses froze when she looked at the imposter, as she was now. She thought of her real sister. The Gabrielle that had been taken. Oh, how she would get back at the ones who took her.  
  
"Fleur. Fleur," a voice from far away called to her from the out side world. Fleur blinked out of her dazed state of mind and looked to Legolas who had been calling her.  
  
"What? What is it?" Fleur asked him. She wondered for what reason he had taken her out of her reverie.  
  
"When are we going to question her?" Legolas asked. Legolas had been calm since they had arrived yesterday, unlike Fleur who had been jumpy and nervous. He, like Fleur, had kept a close eye on 'Gabrielle' ever since they had arrived.  
  
Fleur kept her eye on 'Gabrielle' as she spoke to Legolas, "Tonight, when we get back to the hotel." She was nervous, very nervous. Part of her wanted to just attack 'Gabrielle' right there and then. The other part of her told herself to keep calm, to not let it get to her. She had made a habit over these last few days of breathing deeply to keep herself calm.  
  
"Don't worry, Fleur. Everything is going to go all right." Legolas once again held Fleur's hand. This gave Fleur comfort from her anxiety. With each day that passed she became closer to Legolas as he became closer to her. Wherever one went the other went along.  
  
A waiter came to their table. "Is everything all right? May I get you anything?" He looked from Legolas to 'Gabrielle' and finally to Fleur. His eyes widened as he starred at her, as though he had never before seen a woman before. He kept starring at her until Legolas interrupted.  
  
"Yes, water if you please," Legolas answered, obviously annoyed by the man's reactions. He had to repeat this several times before the man left. By then Legolas looked as if he would have started a fight with him if he had not left.  
  
Fleur smiled. Legolas had been very protective of her ever since they had entered the city.  
  
The waiter came back to deliver Legolas' water. He glanced at Fleur, but knew better than to stay too long. Legolas narrowed his eyes and watched him leave while he quietly drank the water. Suddenly he tensed started coughing.  
  
Fleur turned to him, "Are you okay?"  
  
Legolas hit his chest a few times before he stopped coughing. "Yeah, I'm okay. I guess it just went the wrong way," Legolas sighed and relaxed back in his chair. Fleur kept on studying him, making sure that he was all right. When she was convinced she turned back to 'Gabrielle'. She was grinning at her with one eyebrow raised and mischievous eyes. Fleur scowled.  
  
"Well, where are we off to now, ladies?" Legolas asked, regaining his posture.  
  
'Gabrielle' immediately turned to him. "Let's go to the countryside and see the sites!" she said cheerfully.  
  
*****Later.*****  
  
Fleur put her purse down on the room's table and sank back into a chair. She closed her eyes and recapped what they had done that day.  
  
After they had left the café Legolas, 'Gabrielle' and she had traveled to popular tourist sites in the Highlands. It had nearly taken them all day before 'Gabrielle' had admitted she was tired and they came back to the hotel. By then both Legolas and herself were completely exhausted. Legolas had taken to a bed in the other room to rest. Fleur made a sly grin and chuckled. She could just imagine herself one day in the same bed with him, naked and. Fleur snapped out of her reverie. Why was she thinking like this? What was it about Legolas that turned her on? No. She would not let herself think that way, not now. Not when there were more important matters at hand.  
  
Fleur stood up and made her way to her room. There was still an hour or two before sun down so she decided to prepare for the night's events.  
  
*****That Night.*****  
  
Fleur met Legolas right outside 'Gabrielle's' door. He was breathing heavily and looked slightly paler than he usually was. Fleur gave him a worried look.  
  
"Are you alright? You don't look like you're feeling well," Fleur asked.  
  
Legolas looked up at her with glassy eyes. "Yeah, I'm alright. I'm just tired from today's travels."  
  
Fleur didn't really believe either of his sentences. She sighed and dropped the matter. She would worry about it later. She readied her wand while Legolas pulled out his sword. Fleur looked at Legolas and mouthed, 'On three. One. two.' As Fleur mouthed three they pushed open the door and jumped inside.  
  
'Gabrielle' sat on the bed, her back to the door. She didn't even turn around as Fleur and Legolas entered and swiftly moved toward her bed. "My, you didn't have to make such a dramatic entrance when I was already expecting the two of you," Gabrielle said lightly.  
  
Slowly she turned around. Only what Fleur saw wasn't the disguise of Gabrielle that she had been expecting to see. There sat a woman in a white nightgown. She looked like she was in her mid-twenties with dark brown hair and black eyes.  
  
She looked at Legolas and grinned. "Feeling the effect yet, Prince Legolas?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Fleur asked. Suddenly she heard a crash behind her. She turned to see Legolas on the floor breathing heavily, his forehead beaded with sweat. Fleur rushed to kneel beside him. She looked up at 'Gabrielle' with narrow eyes. "What did you do to him you bitch!" Fleur yelled at her, holding Legolas.  
  
He looked as if he was in great pain. He had a high fever and was breathing even more heavily than he had been earlier.  
  
The woman just smiled slyly. "Do you remember back at the café, Fleur? Remember when Legolas started coughing when he drank the water?" she laughed. "It was poisoned."  
  
Fleur knelt there shocked. She should have known something was wrong with Legolas earlier. Why, how could she not have seen it? She looked down at Legolas in her arms. His face was twisted in agony and pain. Fleur felt a similar pain in her heart. A pain that quickly turned to anger, then to rage.  
  
Fleur gently set down Legolas and stood up. She then turned on the woman sitting on the bed with hate in her gaze. The woman seemed unmoved and unafraid. She raised an eyebrow at Fleur's actions.  
  
"What are you going to do to me, veela?" she chuckled. "Give me beauty tips?" She slowly slid off the bed to face Fleur who was slowly edging her way towards the woman.  
  
Fleur scowled even harder at her. "You obviously don't know much about veela, do you?"  
  
The other woman grinned and shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not, but the way you look at Legolas," she glanced at Legolas. "I know how you feel about him."  
  
Fleur could feel her blood boil then something snapped. Suddenly she felt her finger nails growing into sharp claws. 'Oh, God. Its happening, I'm transforming,' thought Fleur. This had never happened to her before, although she had seen it happen to other veela. She began to twitch and felt the sprouting of feathers around her arms. Her face, as she could feel, began to morph into the sharp beak of a savage bird.  
  
The woman watched in horror at Fleur's transformation as she had not known veela capable of.  
  
Suddenly Fleur, sensing the moment to strike, rushed at her foe and knocked her to the ground. Fleur quickly stood and made another quick attack.  
  
The battle did not last long. In her state, Fleur had no control of what she did or of her strength. Within a couple of minutes the strange woman was down and out. Seeing that the fight had been won, Fleur calmed down, transforming back to her normal self again. As the adrenaline slowly went away Fleur's knees began to shake so she slid to the floor exhausted. She turned her head to face Legolas' body. He was still lying there, shaking in great pain. Fleur could hear him gasping for breath.  
  
Slowly Fleur dragged herself to lay right next to him. She slowly put his head on her shoulder and held him close to her. 'Oh, Legolas. What will happen if something terrible happened to you?' Fleur thought. 'What will I do? Oh, God. I love you.' Fleur stayed holding him through the night and till early morning.  
  
Author Note: Sorry I took so long to put this one up, I went on vacation and didn't have access to the computer for like almost a week. Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter! I will write again soon. 


	8. Hope Lost

Love Never Expected (9/?) By Dragonflyer  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters and I do not intend take them or use them as my own.  
  
Chapter 9: Hope Lost  
  
Fleur lay next to Legolas on the cold, marble floor. She felt tired and weak from the night's exploits. Much of her robe was torn and she had several gashes on her arms and legs. She slightly turned toward the other woman lying on the other side of the room, still unconscious. Fleur grinned to herself in satisfaction and turned back to Legolas. 'She deserved everything that happened and more,' she thought.  
  
Legolas was breathing heavily and had gone even paler from fever. Fleur absent-mindedly started to stroke his long, blond hair. It was unusually soft and silky. Fleur found it very pleasurable, almost as pleasurable as brushing her own long, blond hair. Fleur stopped suddenly as Legolas took in a sharp, painful breath. 'I have to get my wand,' Fleur realized. She turned around to find it lying only several feet from her.  
  
Fleur sighed and gathered up her strength, she was going to need it. She slowly dragged herself to where the wand lay, unknowingly leaving a trail of blood on the floor. Fleur took her wand and sat up, leaning against the nearest chair.  
  
Fleur looked down at herself; arms caked with dried blood, her robes torn and ruined, and her silver hair in a mess. Fleur cast some quick spells, healing her wounds, then turned toward Legolas.  
  
He lay on the floor, his face creased in pain and sweat beaded on his forehead.  
  
Fleur felt a pang in her heart. She knew she couldn't loose him, not only because he was the Prince and heir, but also because she found herself in love with him. She had never met anyone like Legolas before, and she wasn't about to loose the only man who could see her for who she was.  
  
Fleur narrowed her eyes in determination. She rose and walked up next to Legolas, all pain and soreness forgotten. Fleur carefully placed herself behind Legolas and rapped her arms around his chest. She dragged him to the bed and with all her strength pushed him onto it.  
  
Out of breath, Fleur leaned against the side of the bed to rest. When she was ready Fleur got to her feet and went to inspect the unconscious woman.  
  
Fleur found no I.D. or any identification. She sighed in frustration and searched her again. 'Success!' Fleur thought as she pulled out a wand from the woman's knee-high boot. Fleur examined it for a while.  
  
She could tell it was made out of mahogany and looked worn out with finger prints on it's handle. Fleur took it and placed it on the table on the next to the bed.  
  
Fleur looked toward the woman again with scorn. She would have to do something with her in the meantime.  
  
Once again Legolas made a sharp gasp of pain. Fleur looked over at him on the bed. ' I have to find out what's wrong with him before it's too late', Fleur thought, looking back at the woman. ' Whatever you did to him I swear, I will make you pay a thousand fold.'  
  
Fleur thought about what she should do with her for a few moments before deciding to lock her up in one of the room's walking closets. Fleur, as she had done to Legolas, dragged the woman to the nearest closet and left her inside.  
  
After closing the door Fleur eye's trailed to Legolas. 'I have to find out what's wrong with him. I just have to!' Fleur began studying his condition. It was evident that he was in a great deal of pain; he was shaking and twitching, and every now and then he would toss from side to side, clutching the bed sheets around him.  
  
Fleur gently placed the back of her hand on his forehead. She frowned. Legolas was burning up. Fleur quickly rushed to the bathroom to get a wet towel to place on Legolas' head. After placing it on him Legolas seemed to calm down, although not by much.  
  
Then Fleur remembered about a book of potions she had brought with her in her luggage. Fleur rushed to her room and threw open her trunk. Fleur rummaged threw her clothes until she found what she was looking for. Fleur held in her hand a book titled "Advanced Potions for the Traveling Wizard".  
  
Fleur flipped threw the pages looking for any kind of types of poisons that might even give her a clue to what Legolas might have.  
  
Finally Fleur looked up a potion that resulted in the same symptoms Legolas showed. Fleur read it slowly and carefully. It read:  
  
Dyamon Potion: Rare and fatal, Dyamon Potion consists of many  
deadly symptoms consisting of shaking and trembling.  
Fever is also a common symptom of this poison.  
  
Antidote: None known.  
  
Fleur let the book fall from her fingers. She stared blankly at her hands where the book once was. Fleur felt the blood rush out of her face and her hands started to tremble.  
  
Fleur just sat there. She didn't know for how long exactly, but she didn't care about time. All she could think about was Legolas and the Dyamon Potion. She couldn't believe it, no antidote. Without an antidote Legolas was going to die.  
  
Fleur suddenly felt a deep, sickening pain in the pit of her stomach. She was going to loose the only man she ever loved.  
  
Fleur slowly walked back to where Legolas lay. She leaned against the wall and peered at him. He had settled down, but still had a pained expression on his face.  
  
Fleur knelt down next to the bed and began to weep. She tried to stop herself, but found she couldn't. She stayed there crying until she fell asleep.  
  
Author Note: Sorry I took long, school started and it was killing me! Well, enjoy, I'm already writing ch.10. 


	9. Saving Love

Love Never Expected (10/?) By Dragonflyer Author E-mail: Dragonflyer89@aol.com  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters and I do not intend to take or use them as my own.  
  
Chapter 10: Saving Love  
  
Fleur lay on the floor, starring into space. She didn't know how long she had been there, although she could tell it had been long since she could see the sun setting through the glass balcony doors.  
  
Fleur looked up at the bed where Legolas' hand was visible hanging off the edge. She lifted her arm to hold his hand. Even has hand was hot with fever. Fleur would have started crying, if she could, but she felt all cried out.  
  
She slowly lifted herself up and peered down at Legolas, asleep on the bed. 'I have to do something,' Fleur thought. She looked back at the open door that led to her room.  
  
Walking into her room, Fleur picked up the leather bound "Advanced Potions for the Traveling Wizard" book and looked at it once again, although this time she looked through it for counter attacking potions.  
  
Fleur flipped though the pages, carefully reading each one, until she picked a potion she thought might aid her in helping Legolas. It read:  
  
Galiton Potion: Strong and effective, Galiton Potion counter  
attacks various types of poisons. May reduce fever, swelling and  
acid reflex.  
  
Ingredients: Wolf bane, Calimare leaves, and Kelpa roots.  
  
Fleur glanced at the ebony grandfather clock that stood near the doorway; it's golden hands indicating that it was around 7:30 pm.  
  
'There's still time to get the ingredients, but what about Legolas? What if he needs me and I'm not here? What if the woman breaks free and does something to him?' Fleur panicked. 'Maybe I can take him with me, no, it would look suspicious.' Fleur looked toward the door that held the woman inside. 'I'll lock her in, and without her wand she won't be able to get out. But what about Legolas? I'll just have to leave him here.'  
  
Fleur hated the idea of leaving Legolas alone, but what else could she do? She had to get the ingredients.  
  
Fleur went to her luggage and pulled out a large, velvet sack of galleons.  
  
Fleur was just about to leave when she noticed something. She looked down at her torn clothes and frowned. 'I all most forgot,' she thought. She turned back to her luggage and quickly gathered up some new robes.  
  
Before she left Fleur pushed her luggage in front of the door holding the mysterious woman, then gave Legolas a reassuring kiss and left.  
  
******Outside******  
  
Once outside Fleur took a deep breath and started to walk toward a seemingly abandoned alley. Any muggle that would have seen it would have just dismissed it as an ordinary alley, but to any wizard, the alley would be known as one of the many gates to Diagon Alley.  
  
Fleur abruptly stopped in front of the back wall. She quickly pulled out her wand from her cloak pocket and turned to check if no one was behind her. After a few moments Fleur turned back to the wall.  
  
She tapped the tip of her wand four times on four different bricks.  
  
Suddenly the wall started to move. Each brick changed its position. Almost instantly the wall of bricks became an archway into a walk way with shops all around. Fleur, relived that it had worked, confidently stepped into it.  
  
Fleur took in the sounds and fragrances the shops, ranging from book and potion shops to bakeries and wand shops, provided.  
  
As Fleur walked through the alley she sensed lingering eyes upon her. She was used to it; being part veela never meant that you wouldn't be noticed. She saw from the corner of her eye the way the men and women shopping in the alley looked at her. The men with longing looks and expressions while the women gave her looks of scorn and jealousy.  
  
Fleur gazed upon the different shops looking for one that might have the ingredients she was looking for.  
  
Finally Fleur came upon a shop named "Morgan's Magical Herbs" that attracted her attention with its colorful window display of herbs.  
  
'I'll try this one,' thought Fleur, as she confidently opened the door to the shop and entered.  
  
Almost instantly Fleur was engulfed with sweet aromas of different herbs. Fleur was amazed at what she saw.  
  
It seemed the whole shop was filled with thousands of types of herbs. There were brown herbs, green herbs, red herbs, black herbs; herbs that smelt like timber wood and herbs that smelt like rotting meat.  
  
Fleur looked at the list where she had written down the ingredients. 'The first thing I need to look for is wolf bane,' thought Fleur, looking over the herbs one by one.  
  
"May I help you, miss?" said a voice from behind her.  
  
Fleur turned to see a man in his mid-thirties. He wore a black cloak with an emerald green English suit. On the black cloak was a tag with the name 'Lance' magically printed on it.  
  
As soon as the man saw Fleur his eyes went wide and his mouth opened and closed wordlessly.  
  
'Oh, great. Not another one,' Fleur thought. This was the reaction she was used to when around men.  
  
"Yes, I was looking for these," Fleur said, handing him the list of herbs she needed. The man took the list without taking his eyes off Fleur.  
  
Fleur, irritated and annoyed by his actions, interrupted whatever he was thinking by saying, "I need these in a hurry if you don't mind."  
  
The man immediately snapped out of his reverie, "Y.y.yes, miss. R.right away." The man looked down at the list then to his right side. "This way, please." He led her to a shelf filled with different roots and leaves. He read the names of each one before picking two glass bottles and handed them to Fleur.  
  
Fleur looked down at them. One bottle read 'Wolf Bane', the other 'Calimare Leaves'. Fleur looked up at the man, "What about Kelpa roots?"  
  
The man nodded, "Kelpa roots are this way." He once again led Fleur to another shelf also containing glass bottles filled with herbs and spices. He picked one up and handed it to Fleur.  
  
She looked down at it. The glass bottle read 'Kelpa Roots'.  
  
Satisfied and eager to get back to the hotel, Fleur walked to the counter to pay. There she found the same man who had helped her find the herbs.  
  
Fleur carefully place the bottles down on the dusty counter. 'Someone should ready dust in here once in a while,' Fleur thought to herself.  
  
"Will that be all?" the man asked in a shy voice. He grinned at her.  
  
Now Fleur was annoyed, "Yes, that will be all."  
  
The man checked each bottles price before speaking to Fleur, "That'll be six galleons, please."  
  
Fleur pulled out her purse and handed him the six galleons. She gathered up her things and was just about to leave when the man spoke again, "And if you've not doing anything Friday night maybe we could do something."  
  
Fleur gave him disgusted look. "How dare you!" Fleur yelled at him. She stepped forward and slapped him across the face.  
  
Fleur, insulted by the comment, gathered her stuff and marched out the door with her head held up high, leaving the man with a dazzled expression on his face.  
  
*****Hotel*****  
  
Fleur opened the door to the hotel room where Legolas and she were staying, finding everything the way she had left it, to her relief.  
  
She looked at the ebony grandfather clock once again. This time its golden hands read 8:17 pm.  
  
Fleur walked to her luggage and pulled out a small, silver cauldron and a long, thin metal stirrer. Picking up the "Advanced Potions for the Traveling Wizard" book she turned to the page that referred to the Galiton Potion.  
  
Fleur read the instructions on how to make the Galiton Potion. They were quiet simple. It read:  
  
Instructions: Boil water. Place ingredients in one by one  
fifteen minutes apart. Mix then let cool.  
  
Fleur grabbed her wand and stood up. She remembered the hotel manager telling Legolas when they arrived that if they ever needed anything that there would be a house elf awaiting their orders.  
  
Fleur walked to the door that led to the hallways of the hotel. Next to it was a small, golden door with a wooden handle. Fleur opened the door and put the tip of her wand inside. No light shown inside the tunnel the door opened to; this was on purpose of course. When you lit your wand inside it sent a signal to the main office indicating that you needed something.  
  
"Lumos," Fleur muttered. Instantly the tip of her wand let out a bright green flame. She left it there for a minute or two until a knock came from the door beside her.  
  
She quickly withdrew her wand, ending the spell, and opened the door. There, about three feet below her, stood one of the hotel's house elves. As she appeared at the doorway the house elf bowed its head and lowered it's ears in respect.  
  
"You sent a signal, Mme. Greenleaf?" the house elf asked.  
  
Fleur was taken back by the elf's comment. "No, I'm.I'm Miss Delacour. I need some water."  
  
The house elf bowed even lower, "I'm sorry, Miss Delacour. I will be bringing the water soon." The house elf turned and left.  
  
Fleur stood there partially in shock; no one had ever called her Mme. Greenleaf, although she knew that eventually she would be. In another moment the house elf was back with the water in a large, glass pitcher. Fleur took it graciously and closed the door as the house elf returned to its post in the main lobby.  
  
She quickly turned back to her cauldron and book. Fleur gently tipped the pitcher and watched the water flow into the silver cauldron. Once the cauldron was half filled she pointed her wand at the underside of the cauldron.  
  
"Inflamare," Fleur muttered. Her wand's tip emitted a low, blue flame. Fleur held it under the cauldron until the water began to boil.  
  
She gathered the ingredients she had bought at Diagon Alley, putting them in the order the book had given. Fleur took the Wolf Bane and carefully pulled the cork out, shaking the bottle until a forth of it had emptied into the cauldron.  
  
She grabbed the stirrer and dipped it into the now thick, mucky, green solution. Stirring the liquid, Fleur stole a glance at Legolas.  
  
He was still lying on the bed, although it seemed that his condition had worsened.  
  
After the fifteen minutes of stirring Fleur set down the stirrer and picked up the bottle of Calimare Leaves. Doing as she had done before, Fleur opened the bottle and shook the Calimare Leaves into the cauldron. She picked up the stirrer and once again mixed the Calimare Leaves in with the potion.  
  
Fleur looked at the ebony grandfather clock. It was almost ten. Fleur turned back to what she was doing. She opened the bottle to the Kelpa Roots and, like the other two ingredients, mixed it with the solution.  
  
10:07. Fleur looked down at the dark green solution. 'I have to get Legolas to drink this,' Fleur thought. Fleur brought out from her luggage a glass container, pouring some of the potion into it. Fleur stood and walked over to Legolas.  
  
Lifting Legolas' head, Fleur brought the tip of the container to Legolas' lips and poured the potion into his mouth.  
  
Legolas sputtered as the potion entered his mouth and went down his throat. "Sh, its okay. You're all right. Everything's going to be all right," Fleur muttered into Legolas' ear. Fleur looked Legolas over, checking for any signs of recovery.  
  
'Oh, God. The potion isn't working,' Fleur thought with horrible realization. Legolas still looked as if in great pain. It broke Fleur's heart to see him like this.  
  
Fleur sat in back of Legolas, putting her arms around his chest. Fleur felt hot tears burning her eyes. Rocking back and forth, Fleur began to hum a lullaby her grandmother had taught her. It seemed to soothe Legolas as he calmed down a bit.  
  
"Fleur," Legolas whispered. "I love you."  
  
Fleur held Legolas even closer to herself, "I love you too." Fleur lowered herself down and pressed her lips onto his. It felt so good, something she had been waiting to do her whole lifetime.  
  
"Fleur, Fleur," Legolas mumbled. Fleur withdrew from the kiss and starred down at Legolas, who was starring back up at her. Legolas sat up, pain almost completely gone from his body.  
  
"You're all right," Fleur whispered unbelievingly. Legolas looked into her eyes.  
  
"Thanks to you," Legolas muttered.  
  
Legolas and Fleur slowly leaned towards each other, both eager to kiss once more.  
  
Author Note: Sorry this chapter took so long, school was tough. Well, I hope you enjoy it. 


	10. Mortals and Immortals

Love Never Expected (11/?) Author E-mail: Dragonflyer89@aol.com Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters and I do not intend to use or take them as my own. (A/N: I know this isn't a very good chapter, but it does give another problem to the story.)  
  
Chapter 11: Mortals and Immortals  
  
Fleur slowly opened her eyes, letting them adjust to the sunlight that was shining on them. She found another pair of blue eyes starring back at her. Fleur smiled as she starred back at Legolas lying on the bed a few feet away from her.  
  
Legolas seemed better, if not completely recovered. He had returned to his pale composition once again; his face no longer distorted with looks of pain, but peaceful ones. Legolas had also stopped shaking and twisting as he had done before.  
  
Fleur edged closer to Legolas as she whispered, "Morning. Are you alright?" To her surprise he didn't respond to her. She decided to try again, maybe he hadn't heard her. "Morning, Legolas. Are you feeling better?" Once again he failed to respond. Fleur, surprised and a bit worried, placed her hand on the side of his head and gently shook him, "Legolas, are you alright? Legolas?"  
  
He shut his eyes and moaned. Taking in a deep breath and exhaling he turned to Fleur with sleepy eyes, "Hm, What's wrong Fleur?"  
  
"Why didn't you answer me when I talked to you?" Fleur asked, curious about Legolas' actions.  
  
Legolas involuntarily sighed at Fleur's question, "I didn't by any chance discuss with you the habits of elves did I?"  
  
Fleur shook her head, "No, you didn't."  
  
Legolas sighed again, "Elves, like myself, we sleep with our eyes open. I know it sounds strange, but what you saw was how I sleep."  
  
Fleur's eyes grew wide, "Wow. What else can you elves do that humans, like myself, cannot do?"  
  
Legolas sat up straight in the bed, propping himself on the bed post, "We have excellent hearing, we can run faster, walk on snow, have perfect archery skills and we're immortal."  
  
Fleur was taken back by Legolas' last statement. "You're immortal? Legolas, I'm not immortal! How can this work out?" Fleur felt devastated, Legolas was immortal and she wasn't. They could never be together if he lived forever and she didn't.  
  
"Don't worry, Fleur. Arrangements have already been made so that you will live centuries longer when you come to live with us."  
  
Fleur was just calming down when a sudden thought came to her mind. "What about my family? Are they going to live with us as well?"  
  
Legolas look up at Fleur, "I'm sorry. My father requested that only you were to be permitted into our kingdom."  
  
"Why am I the only one allowed into your kingdom, Legolas?"  
  
"Our people don't normally let humans live with us, only the ones of our liking. Bringing in too many humans would disrupt the magical forces surrounding us."  
  
"That's not fair. My family will grow old and die while I still live! I can't bear to see that happen. I don't want to see my sister die before I do. Please, Legolas, let my sister live with us at least," Fleur begged Legolas.  
  
"I'm sorry, Fleur. This is out of my hands."  
  
"But you must be able to do something, Legolas. You're the Prince," Fleur cried. She wouldn't leave her sister behind to die, she couldn't bear the thought.  
  
"Fleur, yes, I may be the Prince, but only the king obtains the authority and power to alter the laws," Legolas replied.  
  
Fleur sighed heavily and leaned back against the bed post. "Then I can't marry you," Fleur said with a heavy heart.  
  
Legolas closed his eyes tight, as if once again in great pain. "I understand if you don't want to marry me, but it would create a scandal in both our families that they won't take lightly."  
  
"I don't care," replied Fleur. "I won't stand by and see my family grow old and die before my eyes."  
  
"Be reasonable, Fleur. You'll still get to visit them when ever you wish," urged Legolas.  
  
"Yes, but one day they'll die and I would get to see them again until I do," Fleur said, not letting the subject drop.  
  
Legolas looked down at his hands in his lap in silence. Fleur turned toward him to find silent tears running down his cheeks.  
  
"Legolas."  
  
"Fleur, please. Don't make me suffer for my father's actions. I love you. I'll talk to my father. He may be stubborn, but he's not unreasonable."  
  
Fleur looked at Legolas, "You love me?" She had heard this phrase told to her many times and from different people, but none heard as meaningful as when he said it.  
  
"Yes, I love you."  
  
"Legolas, why do you love me?" Fleur asked. She wanted to give him one final test on how he felt about her.  
  
"Fleur words alone could not explain the way I feel about you. You're intelligent, loving, kind, gentle, caring," Legolas grinned, his eyes full of warmth. "You're beautiful, but beauty isn't everything."  
  
Fleur beamed at Legolas as she leaned toward him. They caught each other in a kiss. Suddenly it was interrupted by another voice.  
  
"Aw, how sweet," mocked a voice that came from the shadowed corners of the room.  
  
Fleur and Legolas turned to see the woman, once locked up, step forth from the shadows. 


	11. Surprise Attack

Love Never Expected (12/?) Author E-mail: Dragonflyer89@aol.com Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters and I do not intend to use or take them as my own. (A/N: I just want to thank Ashley who gave me some of the ideas to my story. Thank you.)  
  
Chapter 12: Surprise Attack  
  
The woman sauntered closer to them, "So, Legolas, did she finish you off, or did she bring you back to life?"  
  
Legolas leaped off the bed and quickly grabbed his sword and positioned himself, ready for battle. The woman chuckled to herself, showing a tooth bearing grin.  
  
"How did you?" Fleur trailed off, unable to comprehend how she had escaped.  
  
The woman turned toward Fleur, narrowing her eyes as if amused of her dumbfounded state. "What? How did I escape? There's actually a very simple explanation to that," her grin grew even wider, now showing the sharpness of her canines. "I'm a magid. I don't need a wand to work magic."  
  
Fleur narrowed her eyes. 'She's bluffing,' Fleur thought. "Then why were you carrying a wand when you didn't need it?"  
  
The woman chuckled again, "I only carry it for emergencies."  
  
"What have you done with Gabrielle?" Legolas finally spoke.  
  
The woman turned her head to him. "Gabrielle? Gabrielle who?" she toyed with him.  
  
Fleur could feel her blood boil as she heard this. Her sister could be in danger and this woman was toying with them! "Where is she?" Fleur yelled at the woman.  
  
Both Legolas and the woman jumped back at Fleur's sudden outburst. Both looked at her with expressions of surprise and astonishment.  
  
"Where is she?" Fleur once again yelled.  
  
The woman blinked a few times before grinning once again. "She's your sister right? Or more accurately, was your sister," she said emphasizing on 'was'.  
  
Fleur narrowed her eyes as she started to breathe heavily. Fleur shook her head, "If you've done anything to my sister I swear I'll."  
  
"Or you'll what? Transform again? This time it won't work. I may not have been ready that time, but I already know what to expect." Suddenly the woman stepped forward and thrust out her hand toward Fleur. There was a loud crack, similar to thunder, and Fleur was pushed against the wall by the invisible force.  
  
"Fleur!" Legolas shouted, running to her aid.  
  
Fleur's eyelids fluttered slightly as Legolas lifted her up from the floor. A small trickle of blood trailed down the side of her face, staining Fleur's pale complexion. Legolas wiped the blood away with his thumb.  
  
"Stupid girl," the woman laughed.  
  
Legolas carefully set Fleur down and turned to face the woman, "You will pay for what you've done." Legolas edged closer to her, positioning his sword in front of himself. The woman just smiled and chuckled as Legolas waved his sword between them. Legolas suddenly heard a faint sound coming from behind him.  
  
"Legolas," Fleur whispered, gasping as she tried to stand up but failed.  
  
"Fleur, stay there and don't move," Legolas instructed her, not letting the woman out of his sight for fear of her escaping.  
  
Ignoring Legolas' commands, Fleur tried once again to stand up, although as had happened before, Fleur lost her footing and tumbled to the ground.  
  
Legolas started slowly walking to where Fleur lay, although like before, not taking the chance of the woman's escape by keeping her in his sight.  
  
Fleur lay a few feet away, gasping for breath and making feeble attempts to stand up. Legolas knelt down beside her and restrained her from making anymore attempts at moving.  
  
"Fleur, don't move. You're wasting your energy. I can handle her, you just stay here until I say," Legolas whispered into her ear. Fleur's half closed eyes moved to look at him. Her gaze met his and they mentally read each other's mind.  
  
'Legolas, be careful. She's more than what she seems,' Fleur told him. 'You can't defeat her alone.'  
  
'Don't worry about me, Fleur. I can handle her,' Legolas replied.  
  
Suddenly something got hold of Legolas' shirt and threw him across the room, leaving Fleur helpless and undefended. Legolas landed on the floor and quickly regained his footing, although he wasn't quick enough to stop the woman from seizing Fleur.  
  
"Come any closer and she dies, Legolas," the woman threatened him. Her hand moved to her knee high boot and pulled from it a long dagger. "Do you know what is on the blade, Legolas?" the woman asked. "Poison. Basilisk venom to be more exact. It's sure to kill anything in under a minute," the woman chuckled.  
  
Legolas halted. How could he rescue Fleur if he couldn't move? Then a thought struck his mind. Bows and arrows, the skills no creature could compare to with an elf. Archery. Legolas looked to beside the four poster bed. There, next to it, lay his ivory bow and oak arrows. He would have to move to reach them, something he didn't want to do right now due to Fleur's safety. He had to do it, it was a win or lose situation, risks had to be taken in order to save Fleur.  
  
As quickly and as smoothly as he could, Legolas dived to the bow and arrows. Grabbing both he set an arrow and prepared to shoot, aiming for the woman's neck as Fleur unwillingly was being used as a body shield. As soon as Legolas let go he heard a high pitched scream he recognized as Fleur's own.  
  
He was too late, the woman had cut Fleur's neck, right above the collar bone, before the arrow hit her in the center of her neck and, letting Fleur go, stumbled to the ground and bled to death.  
  
Legolas dropped his weapons and rushed to Fleur's side, holding her close to him.  
  
"Legolas," Fleur whispered in his ear. "I love you."  
  
Legolas looked at her and she noticed a flow of tears running down his cheeks. "Fleur, you're going to be all right. Everything's going to be all right." 


	12. Her Tourniquet

Love Never Expected (13/?) Author E-mail: Dragonflyer89@aol.com Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters and I do not intend to use or take them as my own. (A/N: I just want to thank Ashley who gave me some of the ideas to my story. Thank you.)  
  
Chapter 13: Her Tourniquet  
  
Legolas desperately searched the room for something that would help the situation. He was running out of time. Within the minute Fleur would be dead. He looked over at her, lying on the floor, slowly bleeding to death and the poison working in her veins.  
  
'I know of one thing that would cure her, but I vowed that I would never do that,' Legolas thought, looking over at Fleur. 'But I have too, Fleur needs it.' Legolas quickly went over to where his luggage lay.  
  
It has been tossed aside, leaving the door that had held the woman wide open.  
  
Legolas unlatched the trunk and pulled out a sheath containing one of the many long swords he had brought with them.  
  
He sauntered back to where Fleur lay bleeding. Legolas knelt down beside her and pulled the sword out of its sheath. Placing the tip of the sharp blade to the center of his palm, he cut himself lightly, not even wincing as he watched a trail of blood flow from his wound.  
  
With his free hand, Legolas tilted Fleur's head upward. Legolas moved his bleeding hand to her mouth when a pale, feeble hand stopped his attempt. Legolas looked at Fleur's face, her eyes barely open.  
  
"No, Legolas," she whispered weakly.  
  
Legolas hesitated a moment before moving his hand toward her mouth once more. "Drink it, Fleur. It's the only thing that can save you right now."  
  
Fleur slowly gave in, dropping her hand to let Legolas' outstretched hand come in contact with her mouth. As his blood touched her lips, Fleur instantly felt a cool wave of energy and strength over whelm her. Fleur, blinking rapidly, looked up at Legolas.  
  
He had set her head back down and had begun examining his wound. Fleur looked at the sword that lay at his side.  
  
Fleur looked up at him, a puzzled look plastered on her face, "What was that? Your blood?"  
  
Legolas looked up from his wound, "Yes, elven blood, especially royal blood, contains healing properties. It eliminated the poison in your system." Carefully placing the sword back in its sheath, Legolas once again went back to tending to his wound. Taking a white cloth from a bedside table, Legolas tried to wrap it around his palm, but, wrapping it too tightly, winced in pain, letting the cloth drop as he clutched his hand.  
  
Seeing this, Fleur moved to sit next to him, gently taking hold of his hand. "Here, let me help you," Fleur urged him to sit still. She took the cloth and gently wrapped it around his hand, making careful moves as she wrapped it over the cut. When she was finished she took his hand in her's and looked into his eyes, "Better?"  
  
Legolas blushed slightly and smiled warmly at her, "Much better, thank you."  
  
Fleur leaned forward toward Legolas as he did the same. They once again came together in a kiss. Fleur eagerly opened her mouth to let Legolas' tongue enter. A thought suddenly struck her mind as they kissed, 'He saved me again. I have to do something to repay him.' Fleur reluctantly pulled herself away from Legolas. "Stay here, I'll be right back," she breathed heavily, her face flushed from kissing him. Fleur quickly stood up and rushed into her room, closing the door behind her.  
  
A/N: Chapter 13 is up. THANK YOU ASHLEY!!!! For helping me with this and reading what I write. 


	13. Cryptic Signs

Love Never Expected (14/?) Author E-mail: Dragonflyer89@aol.com Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters and I do not intend to use or take them as my own. (A/N: I just wanted to thank Ashley for helping me and always reading my story and those who review, thanx.)  
  
Chapter 14: Cryptic Signs  
  
Bewildered and confused at Fleur's actions, Legolas stood up from the floor. Looking at the woman's body and the blood that stained the white marble floor, he thought, "I'd better start to pick up."  
  
********************  
  
Fleur stood at her oak dresser, looking at her reflection in the mirror. She could feel her heartbeat quicken as she looked at what she wore. The girl, or more accurately, the woman in the mirror wore a white silk thong and a bra of the same color and material that would drive any man crazy with lust once he saw how it held her breasts in a perfect fit. The reflection also wore a shear, silver cloak that barely concealed her.  
  
Fleur looked toward the door that led to where she had left Legolas. 'Legolas,' she thought. Fleur turned back to the mirror and looked hard at her reflection. The woman in the mirror looked bold, confident, even unafraid, but on the inside, Fleur felt a trickle of fear enter her mind.  
  
She loved Legolas, more than any other man she had ever loved. She wanted Legolas, so much at times that it hurt. She couldn't hold it any longer. She knew that what she would soon do was going to be one of the most important decisions she would ever make.  
  
Fleur made sure that her hair was in place and that she looked perfect before opening the door and walking into Legolas' bedroom.  
  
********************  
  
Legolas looked up from the book he was reading as he heard the sound of the door leading to Fleur's room open. His eyes went wide as he saw Fleur's figure at the doorway. Legolas felt a slight blush come over his face as he saw that Fleur had positioned herself against the side of the door frame with her leg up against the wall.  
  
"Legolas," she moaned. Taking her leg off from the wall, Fleur walked seductively toward Legolas, looking deep into his eyes while breathing heavily, letting her chest rise and fall.  
  
Legolas slowly sat up as he saw Fleur walk toward him, not believing what was happening.  
  
Fleur, taking advantage of the situation, crawled onto the bed, "What's the matter, Legolas?" Fleur crawled over to Legolas and, grabbing his light, silver shirt, pulled him down as she gently seated herself on top of him, letting her cloak surround them both like a shimmering wall of silver and revealing her voluptuous body to him.  
  
Legolas looked at her with surprise and confusion, "Fleur, what are you doing?"  
  
Fleur moaned as she spread her legs on either side of his body, "Trying to make love to you." She suddenly laid flat on her stomach and started kissing him passionately and wildly, only withdrawing from him to breathe.  
  
Legolas started kissing back with equal passion. Fleur noticed his hands running up to her back, caressing her skin as he went. Aroused and eager for more, Fleur took her hands away from his hair which she had been running her hands through and threw her cloak off. She would have been completely naked if it hadn't been for the bra and thong she wore, although they covered little of her.  
  
"Oh God, Legolas," she whispered into his ear, her voice hinting of wanting more.  
  
Fleur and Legolas' bodies were against each other in a way that every curve of each of their bodies fit perfectly into the other's. After a few minutes of passionate kissing, Fleur noticed a reaction from Legolas. 'Oh God, that's him,' Fleur thought. She suddenly withdrew from Legolas' embrace a few inches, looking deep into his eyes. Just by looking at him she could tell that he was just as surprised as her.  
  
Fleur, wild and excitingly aggressive, got a hold of Legolas' shirt and savagely ripped it off him before going back to kissing him. Crushing her pelvis onto his, Fleur used her veela powers and body language to urge him on.  
  
"Stop, Fleur. Stop!" Legolas yelled as he broke away from her, jumping off the bed and gaining his footing. "Fleur, I'm sorry. I, we can't do this, at least not yet."  
  
Fleur lay there on the bed, gasping for breath, not comprehending why Legolas refused to make love to her. "Legolas, what's wrong? Why don't you want this?"  
  
Legolas looked at her, his gaze stern. "Fleur, there's nothing wrong with it, it's just.,"Legolas trailed off.  
  
Fleur looked at him questionably, "It's just what?"  
  
Legolas kept his gaze on her, "Fleur, you have to understand, my father has set down very strict traditions and rules for our kingdom. One of the most important rules, and one never to be broken, is that we cannot have sex until after marriage."  
  
Fleur frowned, she hadn't expected this. "But that won't be months, maybe a year from now, Legolas. I don't think I can wait that long to make love to you," Fleur pleaded. "Please, Legolas. Just this once, please." She looked at him with a yearning expression.  
  
Legolas nodded in disagreement, "No, Fleur. We have to be first married before making love."  
  
There was a long silence. In this time Fleur thought about their situation when a sudden thought struck her mind. She looked up at Legolas, "Why don't we just get married secretly, Legolas, apart from the wedding with both our families, for ourselves, just the two of us."  
  
Legolas looked at Fleur, a considering expression on his face. "That would be permitted," Legolas then smiled warmly, "and I know just the incantation to do it."  
  
It was at that very moment that Fleur would never forget, for at that moment she loved Legolas more than anything she had ever loved before.  
  
********************  
  
Fleur awoke to Legolas gently shaking her. She opened her eyes to look upon the urgent expression of a worried prince. "Fleur, I found something!"  
  
Fleur sat up in bed, then realizing that she wore only a bra and thong, pulled the covers close to her due to the cold. "What is it? Where did you find it?" she asked, taking a small piece of parchment from Legolas.  
  
"I found it in the woman's dagger sheath, but the language it's written in is unfamiliar to me. It seems like an old form of Elvish, but I can't distinguish some of the markings."  
  
Fleur looked over the note. She had never seen any language like this before now, although to her, the symbols looked mystifying and elegant. "Legolas, when we're married, will you teach me your language?"  
  
Legolas chuckled and smiled as he sat next to and held her, "Anything you desire."  
  
Fleur smiled and closed her eyes as he began to rock her back and forth. "But where are we going to figure out where to translate this?"  
  
Taking in Fleur's question, Legolas considered it quietly. "We could always go to my homeland, Mirkwood. There are libraries there that may contain the translations to other Elvish languishes. I remember once looking over an old reference book that contained strange markings such as these."  
  
"So we will be leaving here, and when?" Fleur looked up from the note. "And what about the body of." Fleur trailed off as she looked around the room, finding no trace of the body. She gave Legolas a cryptic expression.  
  
"Don't worry. I took care of that," Legolas replied, his demeanor now stern. "We can leave as soon as possible. How about tonight? Do you feel up to it?"  
  
Fleur looked back down at the note again, "Yes. We have to act as quickly as possible. There's no time to spare."  
  
Well, that's chapter 14, sorry it took so long. I hope you enjoy it. ;) 


	14. The Unknown Passage

Love Never Expected (15) Author Email: Dragonflyer89@aol.com Disclaimer: I do not own these characters and do not intend take or use them as my own. (A/N: Thank you Ashley for being a devoted reader and friend and for suggesting some ideas for this story. Thanx!)  
  
Chapter 15: The Unknown Passage  
  
Fleur carefully folded and put away one of her blue silk night gowns. Legolas had already packed and had gone o check themselves out of the hotel while she packed her things. Upon seeing the silk, Fleur recalled what she had tried to do just the night before with Legolas. She blushed as she looked down at the suitcase. 'I really must apologize to him. I just.how can I say it? Lost control? Insanity and lust temporarily took over my mind and body? My veela instincts took over my senses?' Fleur quarreled with her thoughts, unable to come up with a precise explanation as to why she had done what she had tried to do. 'This is hopeless,' Fleur thought, giving in.  
  
Fleur jumped back a foot in surprise when the door to the room was opened suddenly. She let out a breath as she saw it was only Legolas who stood at the door.  
  
He looked at her, puzzled at her sudden shock, "Fleur, are you alright?" He gave her a worried expression.  
  
Fleur gave him a small smile, "Yes, thank you. I wanted to talk.apologize to you about the way I acted last night. I shouldn't have acted the way I did. My actions were unacceptable." Fleur suddenly felt hot tears stink the back of her eyes. Afraid of being seen crying by a Legolas, Fleur turned to face the opposite direction.  
  
Legolas walked toward her, wrapped his arms around her, and held her close to him, "It's alright, Fleur. I'm sorry. If that was what you really wanted." Legolas trailed off. "But I still think we should be married first." Both swayed side to side in sync, holding each other close. After a while, Legolas whispered in her ear, "We really should get going if we are to make the timing."  
  
Fleur reluctantly parted from his arms, "What do you mean 'if we are to make the timing'? Is there a time restriction?"  
  
Grabbing both their luggage, Legolas opened the door for Fleur, "In a matter of speaking, yes. I will explain everything when we arrive at the western shores."  
  
"Western shores? Do you mean we're headed towards the Atlantic Ocean?" Fleur sputtered out in disbelief. "How are we to travel to Mirkwood from there?"  
  
Legolas chuckled and smiled at her, "As I said, I will explain how we travel when we get there. Elves have a different method of traveling than wizards and witches do."  
  
With that, Fleur walked Legolas out the door.  
  
**********  
  
As Fleur and Legolas walked through the lobby, Fleur spotted a familiar sight. "You see that house elf, Legolas?" she said, turning her head to the house elf that was serving drinks to a group of wizards.  
  
"Yes, why?" Legolas answered, following her gaze.  
  
"When he served me the water for the Galiton potion, he called me 'Mme. Greenleaf'," she smiled at Legolas.  
  
"Very soon you will be called that, Fleur," Legolas smiled. "Or in my kingdom you will be called 'my lady' or 'queen'."  
  
Fleur smiled, "'Queen', I like that." She put her arm around his waist, "And you shall be my lord and husband."  
  
Legolas stopped walking, put their luggage down temporarily, and turned to her, "Only if you'll have me."  
  
Fleur smiled, "Of course I'll have you." She leaned forward and kissed him, "I love you."  
  
Legolas kissed back, "I love you too."  
  
Fleur reluctantly pulled back away from Legolas. Even though she wished to kiss him longer, she noticed a few people staring at their little scene. "We should get going, we're on a time limit, remember," Fleur grinned playfully, running her index finger down Legolas' sternum.  
  
Legolas smiled, "Right." Picking their luggage off the floor, Legolas followed Fleur to the fireplace where they had arrived at the hotel. Legolas noted a cloak rack next to where a small table with Floo powder was located. One of the cloaks was dark green with a familiar crest pinned to it. Legolas' eyes widened as he looked at the pin more closely. It was an Elven crest! As he looked at it more closely he saw a black rose that was stitched in ebony silk. His heart froze in fear.  
  
"Legolas? Legolas," Fleur called as she gently pulled him toward the fireplace. "What's wrong?"  
  
Legolas shook himself out of his trance, not realizing that he had stopped walking completely, "Nothing. Let us move on."  
  
Fleur raised an eyebrow at Legolas in suspicion, but didn't speak. They moved to the fireplace. Like before Fleur was the first to use the Floo powder. Before she threw it into the ashes, she turned to Legolas, "The place we're going to is called 'Le Ocèan Clair'. It's a public wizarding cottage on the western shores of France that allows visitors' access to the Atlantic Ocean."  
  
Legolas, still not taking his mind totally off the cloak replied, "Alright, Le Ocèan Clair. Let us travel in haste."  
  
Fleur turned toward the fireplace and threw in the powder, "Le Ocèan Clair!" Like before she stepped in it and disappeared.  
  
Legolas gave one last glance towards the cloak, then, tossing in the powder and grabbing their luggage, shouted, "Le Ocèan Clair!" After stepping in the green flames that arose where the powder had landed, he to disappeared.  
  
**********  
  
Fleur and Legolas walked through the sandy beach at a leisurely pace, taking in the beauty of the setting sun slowly sinking below the horizon.  
  
After arriving at the cottage, Fleur and Legolas hastily exited it, not wishing to attract too much attention. On their way out, Fleur and Legolas encountered two teenage girls in bathing suits who, on sight of Legolas, started staring at him and whispering to each other in quickly spoken French, after which both of them giggled. Fleur, noticing this, narrowed her eyes at the girls and pulled Legolas closer to her as if saying the simple phrase, "Mine".  
  
As Fleur and Legolas walked across the beach, heading towards the tide pools. The water was crystal clear and the tide low. All around the tide pools little creatures such as hermit crabs scuttled around the water, heading towards the soft, white sand.  
  
Legolas knelt down beside one of the tide pools and started to gather the water soaked sand. Fleur watched as Legolas' strong, yet gentle hands modeled a boat out of the sand. She had never really been fond of sculpting, much less swimming at the beach or anywhere for that matter. Because of her veela heritage, Fleur had great difficulty swimming in water. She could turn into a bird, and because of this preferred to spend her time among land instead of water. As Fleur peered at the strong motions of Legolas' hands, she briefly wondered what else those hands were capable of doing.  
  
"What is it called?" Fleur asked, referring to the model boat Legolas had just about finished making.  
  
Legolas looked up from his work, "It's called a Sun Boat, although it's ironic for it only comes to life in the light of the moon."  
  
Fleur looked at him strangely, "What do you mean it 'comes to life'?"  
  
Legolas stood and placed the carefully crafted boat in the shallow part of the beach. Walking back toward Fleur he said, "Just watch and you'll see what I mean when I say 'come to life'."  
  
Fleur and Legolas held hands as they watched as the remnants of the sun sunk below the horizon, leaving the sky in colors of red orange, purple, blue and finely the black that lingered in the East. A few minutes passed by until the black night covered the heavens and the pale moon's light lit the night.  
  
As Fleur turned back to the ocean, she no longer saw the sand model of a boat, but a real one resting on the shore. 'So this is what Legolas meant when he said that it would 'come to life'. It becomes what you shape it to be,' Fleur thought.  
Legolas grabbed hold of her hand and guided her toward the entry to the ship, "We must not waste time. The magic binding the craft only holds under moon light. Once it is morning the magic will be undone."  
  
Fleur looked toward him, "How long will it take for us to get to Mirkwood?"  
  
"If we start our voyage now we should be able to make it just before morning," Legolas replied, boarding the ship himself after he made sure Fleur was safely on it.  
  
"How do we steer this thing?" Fleur asked after seeing no sign of an oar or any type of paddle. The boat was simple. To her it looked somewhat like a canoe, except the boat was white and the tips of each end curved upward and down, like the stem of a leaf.  
  
"We don't. It steers itself after being told where to go," Legolas said, sitting down on one side of the boat.  
  
Fleur was about to ask how to speak to it when Legolas abruptly closed his eyes as if in great thought. All of a sudden the boat began to move towards the sea. Fleur, instinctively afraid of large bodies of water, closed her eyes and started to breathe heavily.  
  
Legolas, noticing Fleur's sudden reactions asked, "Are you all right, Fleur?"  
  
Fleur nodded, her eyes still closed and her breathing only grew heavier, "Yes, I just don't feel comfortable on boats. I can't swim very well." Fleur huddled up due to the sudden icy breeze.  
  
Legolas moved to sit next to Fleur, taking off his cape and wrapping it around Fleur to keep her warm. Fleur cuddled up to him, feeling safer with him at her side. "Do you feel better, Fleur?" Legolas asked, seeing her reactions.  
  
Fleur nodded, her face against his chest, "Yes, very much, thank you, but aren't you cold?"  
  
Legolas wrapped his arms around her, "Not at all, elves aren't really affected by the cold."  
  
Fleur suddenly remembered their talk about their formalities as king and queen of Mirkwood. A sudden thought came to her mind. 'if we are going to rule as king and queen we are going to have to produce an heir, and the way things are going with the poisoning and the dagger, we might not live to see the days of our rule last," thought Fleur.  
  
"You know as king and queen we're going to have to produce an heir for our kingdom," Fleur said, looking up at Legolas. "When can we start?" Fleur grinned slyly at him.  
  
Legolas blushed deeply. "After we get married," Legolas replied, and then added with a grin, "After that we can do it whenever you want."  
  
Fleur laughed and leaned up to kiss him, "And what a fun time we'll have."  
  
The breeze blew and once again Fleur found herself shivering. Legolas pulled her closer, "Sleep, you're tired and there is still a few hours that are yet to pass. I will wake you when we have arrived at the shore."  
  
Fleur gladly accepted his offer, moving her body next to his for warmth. She slowly felt herself drift into unconsciousness as she took in the sounds of the waves gently clashing with the boat, it actually wasn't that bad. She closed her eyes and soon fell asleep against Legolas' chest.  
  
**********  
  
"Fleur, we are here. Fleur, wake up."  
  
Fleur distantly heard Legolas call to her. 'How long have I been asleep?' Fleur thought. She slowly opened her eyes to see Legolas smiling back at her. "Are we here?" Fleur asked.  
  
Legolas stood and helped Fleur to her feet, "Yes, and we have barely made the time, look!"  
  
Fleur turned from Legolas to see the sun beginning to arise in the East. Fleur had always been fond of watching sun rises and sun sets, but this had to be by far the most beautiful one she had ever seen before. "So this is Middle Earth?" Fleur said, watching the sun rise in awe.  
  
She turned back to see Legolas bowing before her playfully. "Welcome, your highness, to Middle Earth!" 


	15. Unexpected Confrontations

Love Never Expected (16) Author E-mail: Dragonflyer89@aol.com Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters and I do not intend to take or use them as my own. (A/N: Thank you everyone who reads my story and especially my friends from school like Ashley for supporting my writing. Please review, I'd really appreciate it.)  
  
Chapter 16: Unexpected Confrontations  
  
Fleur and Legolas walked through the dense forest, taking in the breath taking beauty of the forest itself. The trees reached for what seemed like forever, the streams were crystal clear and made a slight rattling noise as its water passed over the smoothed out stones, and all around there were creatures going about their daily lives, stopping only to regard Fleur and Legolas as they passed by.  
  
"It's amazing," Fleur said in awe, not taking her eyes off the surrounding beauty.  
  
"Come, there is still much to see including the palace," Legolas suggested.  
  
Fleur turned to him, "There's a palace in Mirkwood?"  
  
Legolas chuckled, "Of course, where did you think the king and queen of Mirkwood lived?" Legolas grabbed Fleur's hand and guided her through a patch of thick bushes and then slowly up a slippery, steep side of what seemed like a mountain that appeared at the end of the forest. Fleur wondered why the rocks were moist and had a thin covering of...was it moss, or algae?  
  
About a forth of the way up the mountain, Fleur and Legolas came to an opening large enough for them to climb through. "Is this how we enter Mirkwood?" Fleur asked, looking over the entrance.  
  
"As a boy I used to explore the forests for secret passages. One day I stumbled on this entrance and ever since then I have frequently used it as a way out of the kingdom," Legolas replied, pulling Fleur into the entrance which turned into a short tunnel. The other end of it was partially covered in plants and whatever was not covered in plants, the vision was blurred by water rushing down. Fleur heard a far away rumbling.  
  
"Are we under a waterfall?" Fleur asked, walking toward the end of the tunnel where Legolas stood waiting.  
  
"Yes, it's the cause of the rumbling heard," Legolas replied. He and Fleur now stood at the opening of the tunnel.  
  
"How are we going to get through without getting wet?" Fleur asked. As she looked towards Legolas she noticed he held his palm to the outpouring water. Fleur was about to question his actions when he spoke.  
  
"Halencè nen," Legolas muttered, his eyes closed in hard concentration. Fleur was, in a way, enchanted by his words, spoken so softly, yet with so much power.  
  
At first nothing appeared different, then suddenly the rumbling noise that obviated the water ceased. As Fleur looked back to the opening of the tunnel, she saw it was now clear of flowing water.  
  
"It stopped," Fleur said abruptly, speaking more to herself then to Legolas.  
  
"Yes, now follow me," Legolas replied, taking her hand and leading her to the outside. As he brushed away the lingering vines, Fleur's breath left her at the sight she saw.  
  
Before them stood a village along a magnificent river, its buildings glistening with lights. The inhabitants could be heard speaking to one another in the walkways. Elves hustled around shops and bakeries, blacksmiths and armories. Gazing northward, Fleur stopped at the place she had been waiting to see, the elvish palace.  
  
Fleur's eyes widened as she took in the magnificent sight. It seemed as if the palace itself came forth from the center of the titanic trees surrounding it. Even from a distance, Fleur could easily see it. The outside walls were of intertwined ivory and white bark, the trimmings on the doors, balconies, and windows were made of gold, the pathways around the palace were of set stone, carefully placed in the ground and perfectly smooth.  
  
"You want to see what the inside is like?" Legolas asked, coming forth to stand next to her.  
  
"Oh, yes, very much indeed," fleur replied, anticipation apparent in her tone. She turned to look upon Legolas, who, in turn, took her hand and began to lead her out.  
  
"Then it shall be done."  
**********  
  
Fleur wrapped her arms around Legolas' waist, laid her head to rest on his back, and closed her eyes, grinning. Legolas had been looking over a book that had caught his attention, but, at Fleur's embrace, shut it and smiled, covering her hands with his on his waist. "So, you do like it, Fleur?" he asked, stroking her soft hand under his.  
  
Fleur sighed, "Its...amazing." Fleur looked around her. Libraries had always given her a sort of boring and dull mentality, but this one was unlike any she had ever seen before. It contained beauty, elegance, and a sense wonder that she never dreamed one library could possess. The book shelves towered to the roof which was, beyond a doubt, at least three stories high.  
  
Legolas turned to face her and wrapped his arms around her. He bent in for a kiss and she met him eagerly. Fleur's arm moved to the back of his neck to hold him there while her other stayed at his waist. She suddenly pulled back, but only about half an inch, their faces barely touching. Fleur looked at his eyes for some time, "You sure you don't want to..."  
  
"No, not yet, but soon," Legolas said, cutting her off in a gentle voice. He leaned forward, restarting their kiss.  
  
"Well, I didn't know they held snog sessions here. Maybe I should pay more attention to the bulletin board," stated a voice from behind them.  
  
Fleur and Legolas turned to see a dark-haired woman clad in a black and blood red v-necked dress standing at the doorway. Fleur looked up at Legolas who wore a puzzled expression. Legolas only held Fleur closer, as if protecting her from an unseen force. "Hera, how nice to see you again," Legolas hesitantly greeted her.  
  
Hera chuckled hauntingly, "Likewise, but I am curious as to know her name." She glared at Fleur as if she was the foulest creature on earth. Fleur wasn't intimidated by this though. She, after all, was use to these types of stares from the girls at Beauxbatons.  
  
Legolas loosened his embrace on Fleur slightly, turning more to face Hera, "Her name is Fleur Delacour. She is my fiancée. Her parents and Father have arranged our marriage."  
  
Hera arched her left eyebrow and sauntered towards the couple. She studied Fleur observantly. "Well, she looks nice, although I wouldn't have expected your father to have chosen someone who, in previous days, probably served her life out as a prostitute," Hera laughed.  
  
Legolas looked furious at her statement, "Now hear this Hera, Fleur's family is one of the most esteemed families in Europe. If you proceed talking about her in such a matter, you will have me and Father, as well as the whole Delacour family, to face."  
  
Hera only laughed at his statement, "You wouldn't really do that to me, would you Legolas? Even through all that we've been through together?"  
  
"You play a fool's role here, Hera. If I remember correctly, wasn't it you who broke up with me? And because I supposedly didn't give you what you wanted?" Legolas replied coolly.  
  
Hera narrowed her eyes at both of them, "Well, I can obviously see I am greatly disliked here." Hera suddenly looked to her right and beckoned to someone, "Come James, we have work to do."  
  
Fleur's eyes widened when she saw a young man, around twenty with blond hair and pale skin, step out behind one of the book shelves. He was wearing a black leather jacket and pants with a black silk shirt on. 'Oh God, it's him,' she thought. Absentmindedly, Fleur strengthened her embrace around Legolas.  
  
"Fleur, it's a pleasure to see you again, love," James grinned at the sight of Fleur.  
  
Hera grinned, "Oh, yes, this is my new friend, James. I see Fleur has had his acquaintance already."  
  
Fleur looked at him sharply, 'Acquaintance nothing...I dated him. What's he doing here? He's human. I thought Legolas had said humans weren't permitted here, only important ones. How important can he be?'  
  
"Well, we simply must be going, see you later," Hera turned her back on them and, with James, walked out the door, leaving both Fleur and Legolas with questions for each other.  
  
(A/N: Sorry I took so long, I had temporary writers block and some things going on in my life that held me back, well I hope you like this chapter and I'll be writing more soon, bye. *waves*) 


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